bible verses about adoption

Bible Verses About Adoption: 12

Bible verses about adoption: 12 Scriptures on huiothesia and becoming God's children.

Illustrated portrait of Christopher McAllister

By Christopher McAllister

Founder of theBibleand.Love

Published September 30, 20265 min readRomans 8:15 (NIV)

A traveler helps a companion back to their feet on a rocky path.

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'"

— Romans 8:15 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about adoption want Scripture on huiothesia — God's placing of sons and daughters in Christ — not only the broader God's love list or the grace list alone. This page is a numbered list of twelve passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Related lists: Bible verses about God's love, Bible verses about grace, Bible verses about salvation, Bible verses about the Holy Spirit, Bible verses about faith, and Bible verse of the day. Adoption here means huiothesia — the Spirit-given status of sons and daughters who cry Abba — distinct from a generic love list or from calling alone.

Word study (lead theme). In Greek, "adoption to sonship" is υἱοθεσία huiothesia (Strong's G5206; Bible Hub G5206) — the placing as a son; adoptive sonship. Paul uses it in Romans 8, Galatians 4, and Ephesians 1 for the status believers receive in Christ — not earned kinship, but grace that lets us cry Abba. John speaks of the right to become children of God. Adoption in Scripture is legal-and-relational belonging — not a soft metaphor for feeling wanted.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 8 presses that believers receive the Spirit of adoption and cry Abba, Father, not as slaves under fear (Bible Hub MHC Romans 8; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Romans 8). On Galatians 4 he marks the fullness of time when God sent his Son that we might receive adoption (Bible Hub MHC Galatians 4; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Galatians 4). (God's-love and grace lists live on those pages; this list centers huiothesia.)

12 Bible verses about adoption

  1. Romans 8:15. "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" Spirit of adoption — Abba, Father. See Bible verses about the Holy Spirit.

  2. Romans 8:23. "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies." Wait eagerly for our adoption. See Bible verses about hope.

  3. Galatians 4:4-5. "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." Sent his Son — that we might receive adoption. See Bible verses about salvation.

  4. Galatians 4:6-7. "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir." No longer a slave — God's child and heir. See Bible verses about grace.

  5. Ephesians 1:5. "he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—" Predestined for adoption through Jesus Christ. See Bible verses about God's love.

  6. John 1:12. "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—" Right to become children of God. See Bible verses about faith.

  7. Romans 8:14. "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." Led by the Spirit — children of God. See Bible verses about the Holy Spirit.

  8. Romans 8:16. "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." The Spirit testifies — we are God's children. See Bible verses about the Holy Spirit.

  9. 1 John 3:1. "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." Called children of God — that is what we are. See Bible verses about God's love.

  10. Hosea 1:10. "'Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," they will be called "children of the living God."'" Called children of the living God. See Bible verses about hope.

  11. 2 Corinthians 6:18. "And, 'I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'" I will be a Father to you. See Bible verses about God's love.

  12. Ephesians 2:19. "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household," Members of his household. See Bible verses about the church.

How to use these verses

Pick one verse when you need adoption — not twelve as a grind. If you need Abba, Father, start with Romans 8:15. If you need the sending of the Son for adoption, open Galatians 4:4-5. If you need the Father's lavished love, open 1 John 3:1. For God's love more broadly, open Bible verses about God's love. For grace, open Bible verses about grace. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What is a good Bible verse about adoption?

Romans 8:15 (adoption to sonship — Abba, Father), Galatians 4:4-5 (that we might receive adoption), and Ephesians 1:5 (predestined for adoption) are clear starting places.

How do Bible verses about adoption differ from God's love or grace lists?

The God's-love page centers the Father's love broadly. The grace page centers undeserved favor. An adoption page centers huiothesia — legal-and-relational sonship in Christ — then cross-links gods-love, grace, and salvation. See Bible verses about God's love.

What does huiothesia mean?

Greek huiothesia (G5206) means adoption to sonship — the placing as a son. Paul uses it for the status believers receive through Christ and the Spirit.

Is biblical adoption only a New Testament idea?

The word huiothesia is Paul's, but Hosea already promises that those told "not my people" will be called children of the living God. The New Testament names the status; the story of belonging runs through both Testaments. See Bible verses about God's love.

Where can I read more about God's love, grace, and salvation?

Start with Bible verses about God's love, then Bible verses about grace, Bible verses about salvation, and Bible verses about the Holy Spirit.

Sources

A woman helps a man back to his feet on a rocky path.

Keep reading