Ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ. (Romans 8:21)
Because the creation itself also will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
The Passive Future in a Groaning World
The centerpiece of this majestic clause from Romans 8:21 is the future passive verb ἐλευθερωθήσεται (“will be set free”). Paul, describing the eschatological hope not just of humanity but of all creation, crafts a deeply theological statement using the nuance of Greek voice and aspect.
This isn’t just about a future action. It’s about what will be done to creation — not what creation does itself. In Greek grammar, the future passive signals both expectation and external agency. The κτίσις (creation) is the subject, but not the agent. Something, or someone, else will liberate it.
The Key Verb: ἐλευθερωθήσεται
This form comes from the verb ἐλευθερόω, meaning “to set free” or “to liberate.” The full parsing:
| Greek Form | Tense | Voice | Mood | Person & Number | Lexical Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐλευθερωθήσεται | Future | Passive | Indicative | 3rd Person Singular | She/it will be set free |
The future passive indicative is used sparingly in the New Testament — often in contexts of divine intervention or judgment. Here, it signifies an assured, divinely enacted liberation.
Prepositions of Transition: ἀπὸ… εἰς…
Paul’s prepositional structure frames the transformation:
- ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς — “from the slavery of corruption”
- εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης — “into the freedom of the glory”
This movement from δουλεία (“slavery”) to ἐλευθερία (“freedom”) is described with ἀπὸ… εἰς…, a powerful grammatical pairing often used to show radical change — in this case, cosmic redemption.
The genitive modifiers τῆς φθορᾶς (“of decay/corruption”) and τῆς δόξης (“of glory”) act as defining qualities. Paul contrasts decay with glory, not just as physical states but as domains of existence.
Apposition and Identity: τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ
The phrase τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ (“of the children of God”) is in the genitive, showing possession or source — the glory belongs to them.
Grammatically, τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ could be interpreted as:
- The glory that belongs to the children of God
- Or the glorious freedom experienced by the children of God, shared with creation
The structure is layered, but the grammatical chain is tight:
- ἐλευθερωθήσεται (main verb)
- ἀπὸ… (departure point)
- εἰς… (arrival point)
- τῆς δόξης… (qualifier of the arrival)
- τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ (possessors of that glory)
Theological Syntax: Divine Agency in the Passive
Why passive? Why doesn’t Paul say “ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερώσει ἑαυτήν” (“creation will free itself”)?
Because the theology is embedded in the grammar.
The passive form ἐλευθερωθήσεται suggests that only God can perform this liberating act. It’s part of Paul’s consistent pattern of using the passive voice as a “divine passive” — a way of referring to God’s action without naming Him directly.
In Jewish Greek thought, this technique honors God’s transcendence while emphasizing His power.
Glory Shared, Not Earned
In summary, every element of this verse’s grammar — from the passive verb to the prepositional shift and the genitive structure — contributes to the theological vision Paul casts: a cosmos yearning for transformation, whose liberation is both inevitable and initiated by God.
The creation will not redeem itself. It will be redeemed into the freedom already prepared for the children of God — an inheritance creation itself will share.
When Grammar Proclaims Hope
The future passive voice in ἐλευθερωθήσεται is not merely a grammatical label — it’s a grammatical promise. It says: “Someone greater will act.”
Paul’s Greek here offers more than information. It sings of anticipation — a liberation from entropy itself, grammatically marked by passivity, but theologically blazing with divine action.
This is the gospel in a verb.
