Romans 8 · Verse 27

Romans 8:27

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:27, King James Version

Romans 8:27 in other translations

BSBAnd He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
WEBHe who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
ASVand he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
YLTand He who is searching the hearts hath known what is the mind of the Spirit, because according to God he doth intercede for saints.
DARBYBut he who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for saints according to God.
BBEAnd he who is the searcher of hearts has knowledge of the mind of the Spirit, because he is making prayers for the saints in agreement with the mind of God.
WebsterAnd he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, according to the will of God.

What does Romans 8:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 8:26-27

26-27. Likewise the Spirit also, &c.--or, "But after the like manner doth the Spirit also help. our infirmities--rather (according to the true reading), "our infirmity"; not merely the one infirmity here specified, but the general weakness of the spiritual life in its present state, of which one example is here given. for we know not what we should pray for as we ought--It is not the proper matter of prayer that…

Read the full comment on Romans 8:26-27 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 27. And he that searcheth the hearts. God. To search the heart is one of his attributes which cannot be communicated to a creature, Jer 17:10.

Knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit. Knows the desires which the Holy Spirit excites and produces in the heart. He does not need that those deep emotions should be expressed in words; he does not need the eloquence of language to induce him to hear; but he sees the anxious feelings of the soul, and is ready to aid and to bless.

Maketh intercession for the saints. Aids and directs Christians.

According to the will of God. Greek, "According to God." It is according to his will in the following respects:

(1.) The Spirit is given according to his will. It is his gracious purpose to grant his aid to all who truly love him.

(2.) The desires which he excites in the heart of the Christian are those which are according to his will; they are such as God wishes to exist --the contrite, humble, and penitent pleading of sinners for mercy.

(3.) He superintends and guards Christians in their prayers. It is not meant that they are infallible, or that they never make an improper petition, or have an improper desire; but that he has a general superintendence over their minds, and that so far as they will yield themselves to his direction, they shall not be led into error. That man is most safe who yields himself most entirely to the influence of the Holy Spirit. And the doctrine here stated is one that is full of consolation to the Christian. We are poor, and needy, and ignorant, and blind; we are the creatures of a day, and are crushed before the moth. But in the midst of our feebleness, we may look to God for the aid of his Spirit, and rejoice in his presence, and in his power to sustain us in our sighings, and to guide us in our wanderings.

(g) "he that searcheth" Jer 17:10, Rev 2:23 (1) "because" or, "that" (h) "according to" 1Jn 5:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 27 He maketh intercession for the saints - The word εντυγχανω signifies to apply one's self to a person in behalf of another; to intercede or negotiate for. Our Lord makes intercession for us, by negotiating and managing, as our friend and agent, all the affairs pertaining to our salvation. And the Spirit of God makes intercession for the saints, not by supplication to God on their behalf, but by directing and qualifying their supplications in a proper manner, by his agency and influence upon their hearts; which, according to the Gospel scheme, is the peculiar work and office of the Holy Spirit. See Taylor. According to the will of God - Κατα Θεον· According to the mind, intention, or design of God. And thus the prayers which we offer up, and the desires which subsist in the unutterable groanings, are all such as are pleasing in the sight of God. So that God, whose is the Spirit, and who is acquainted with the mind of the Spirit, knows what he means when he leads the saints to express themselves in words, desires, groans, sighs, or tears: in each God reads the language of the Holy Ghost, and prepares the answer according to the request. From all this we learn that a fluency in prayer is not essential to praying: a man may pray most powerfully in the estimation of God, who is not able to utter even one word. The unutterable groan is big with meaning, and God understands it, because it contains the language of his own Spirit. Some desires are too mighty to be expressed; there is no language expressive enough to give them proper form and distinct vocal sound: such desires show that they came from God; and as they came from him, so they express what God is disposed to do, and what he has purposed to do. This is a matter of great encouragement to all those who are agonizing to enter in at the strait gate.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 8:26-27

Though the infirmities of Christians are many and great, so that they would be overpowered if left to themselves, yet the Holy Spirit supports them. The Spirit, as an enlightening Spirit, teaches us what to pray for; as a sanctifying Spirit, works and stirs up praying graces; as a comforting Spirit, silences our fears, and helps us over all discouragements. The Holy Spirit is the spring of all desires toward God…

Read the full comment on Romans 8:26-27 →

Romans 8:27 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὁhoThe [One]G3588
δὲdenowG1161
ἐραυνῶνeraunōnsearchingG2045
τὰςtas<the>G3588
καρδίαςkardiasheartsG2588
οἶδενoidenknows
τίtiwhat [is]G5101
τὸtotheG3588
φρόνημαphronēmamindsetG5427
τοῦtouof theG3588
πνεύματος,pneumatosSpirit,G4151
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
κατὰkataaccording toG2596
θεὸνtheonGodG2316
ἐντυγχάνειentugchaneiHe intercedesG1793
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
ἁγίων.¶hagiōn[the] saints.G40

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 8:27

  • Jeremiah 17:10

    I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

  • 1 John 5:14-15

    And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

  • Ephesians 2:18

    For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

  • Romans 8:34

    Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

  • Acts 1:24

    And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

  • 1 Chronicles 28:9

    And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

  • Jeremiah 11:20

    But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

  • Psalms 44:21

    Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

  • 1 John 3:21-22

    Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

  • Acts 15:8

    And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

  • Proverbs 17:3

    The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:4

    But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
And he.
1Ch 28:9; 29:17; Ps 7:9; 44:21; Pr 17:3; Jer 11:20; 17:10; 20:12
Mt 6:8; Joh 21:17; Ac 1:24; 15:8; 1Th 2:4; Heb 4:13; Re 2:23
knoweth.
Ps 38:9; 66:18,19; Jas 5:16; *Gr:
because. or, that. he maketh.
34; Eph 2:18
according.
Jer 29:12,13; Joh 14:13; Jas 1:5,6; 1Jo 3:21,22; 5:14,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Romans 8:26

    Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

  • Romans 8:27

    And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

  • Romans 8:28

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Read all of Romans 8

Romans 8:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas el que escudriña los corazones, sabe cuál es el intento del Espíritu, porque conforme á la voluntad de Dios, demanda por los santos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– et celui qui sonde les cœurs sait quelle est la pensée de l’Esprit, car il intercède pour les saints, selon Dieu;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der aber die Herzen erforscht, weiß, was der Sinn des Geistes ist, denn er verwendet sich für Heilige Gott gemäß.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui autem scrutatur corda, scit quid desideret Spiritus: quia secundum Deum postulat pro sanctis.