KJV: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
YLT: and if children, also heirs, heirs, indeed, of God, and heirs together of Christ -- if, indeed, we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together.
Darby: And if children, heirs also: heirs of God, and Christ's joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
ASV: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him , that we may be also glorified with him .
Being an adopted child of God makes us His heirs (cf. 1 Peter 1:3-4). We inherit with Jesus Christ our brother ( Romans 8:29). We inherit both sufferings, as His disciples now, and glory, most of which lies in the future (cf. 1 Peter 4:13). The phrase "if indeed" seeks to render the first class condition in the Greek that in this case we could translate "since." Just as surely as we share His sufferings (Gr. sumpaschomen, any sufferings we may experience because we live for Him, not just those connected with our bearing verbal witness for Christ) now, we will share His glory in the future. This is a reference to the glorification that every believer will experience at the end of his or her life ( Romans 8:18-25). Our glory then will be somewhat proportionate to our suffering for His sake as His disciples now (cf. 1 Peter 4:12-19). [source][source][source]
The New Testament teaches that the amount of inheritance the children of God receive will vary depending on our faithfulness to God ( Luke 19:11-27). However, there is no doubt that all Christians are the heirs of God and will inherit glorification as well as many other blessings (cf. 1 Peter 1:3-12). [1][source]
"All regenerate men have God as their inheritance, or as Paul puts it, are "heirs of God" ( Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7). That heirship is received on the basis of only one work, the work of believing. But there is another inheritance in the New Testament, an inheritance which, like that of the Israelites, is merited. They are also heirs of the kingdom and joint-heirs with the Messiah ( 2 Timothy 2:12; Romans 8:17)." [2][source]
This verse is not teaching that experiencing glorification, the third stage of every believer"s salvation, depends on our suffering for Jesus" sake. God will eventually glorify every Christian, those who take a stand for the Lord and those who do not ( Romans 8:29-39). [source][source][source]
"Such passages leave no room at all for a "partial rapture!" All the saints will share Christ"s glory." [3][source]
Context Summary
Romans 8:10-17 - Children And Heirs Of God
The Spirit here is of course the Holy Spirit, by whom Christ our Lord lives within us. It is passing wonderful that as the life which throbs in the heart beats also in the pulse, so the very life which is in Christ in glory is also in our hearts. Our main task is to put aside every barrier to its full expression. This is what the Apostle means by doing to death the practices, stratagems, and lawless promptings of the body, which are ever calling for ease and self-indulgence. There is no stage of our earthly pilgrimage at which we can dispense with the power of the Spirit of God for deliverance from the deeds of the body.
But there is another most blessed function of the divine Spirit, Romans 8:14. He is willing to lead us, to prompt our actions, to inspire our purposes, and to mold our characters. The more we yield to Him, the deeper becomes our awareness of that filial relationship with God which breathes in the cry, Abba, Father. But note the wonderful climax, Romans 8:17. If we yield to the Holy Spirit, He will conduct us into the divine treasure-house and bid us avail ourselves of the infinite resources which are there stored for our use, not in the next life, but in this. [source]
Chapter Summary: Romans 8
1Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation 5What harm comes of the flesh; 13and what good of the Spirit 19The glorious deliverance the creation longs for, 29was beforehand decreed from God 38Nothing can sever us from his love
Greek Commentary for Romans 8:17:
Joint-heirs with Christ [συνκληρονομοι Χριστου] A late rare double compound, in Philo, an Ephesian inscription of the imperial period (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 92), papyri of the Byzantine period. See note on Romans 8:29 for this idea expanded. Paul is fond of compounds of συν sun three in this verse The last (first aorist passive subjunctive of sundoxazō with hina (purpose), late and rare, here only in N.T. [source]
What do the individual words in Romans 8:17: mean?
Ifnowchildrenalsoheirsindeedof Godjoint-heirsof Christif indeedwe suffer with [Him]so thatwe may be glorified together
Greek Commentary for Romans 8:17:
A late rare double compound, in Philo, an Ephesian inscription of the imperial period (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 92), papyri of the Byzantine period. See note on Romans 8:29 for this idea expanded. Paul is fond of compounds of συν sun three in this verse The last (first aorist passive subjunctive of sundoxazō with hina (purpose), late and rare, here only in N.T. [source]