The Meaning of Romans 8:15 Explained

Romans 8:15

KJV: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

YLT: for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption in which we cry, 'Abba -- Father.'

Darby: For ye have not received a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye have received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

ASV: For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  ye have  not  received  the spirit  of bondage  again  to  fear;  but  ye have received  the Spirit  of adoption,  whereby  we cry,  Abba,  Father. 

What does Romans 8:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Unlike sin, the Spirit does not enslave us. He does not compel or force us to do God"s will as slaves of God. Rather He appeals to us to do so as sons of God. The "spirit" in view is probably the Holy Spirit who has made us God"s sons by regeneration and adoption.
"Abba" and "Father" are equivalent terms, the first being a transliteration of the Aramaic word and the second a translation of the Greek pater (cf. Galatians 4:6). Probably Paul used the Aramaic as well as the Greek term to highlight the intimate relationship the Christian disciple enjoys with God. The Lord Jesus revealed this intimate relationship during His training of the Twelve ( Mark 14:36). [1] In their translations, J. B. Phillips paraphrased "Abba! Father!" as "Father, my Father," and Arthur S. Way rendered it, "My Father, my own dear Father."
Adoption is another legal term (cf. justification). It indicates the legal bestowal of a legal standing. Both adoption and justification result in a permanent condition, and both rest on the love and grace of God. [2]
"Paul could hardly have chosen a better term than "adoption" to characterize this peace and security. The word denoted the Greek, and particularly Roman, legal institution whereby one can "adopt" a child and confer on that child all the legal rights and privileges that would ordinarily accrue to a natural child. However, while the institution is a Greco-Roman one, the underlying concept is rooted in the OT and Judaism [3]." [4]

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

1  Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation
5  What harm comes of the flesh;
13  and what good of the Spirit
19  The glorious deliverance the creation longs for,
29  was beforehand decreed from God
38  Nothing can sever us from his love

Greek Commentary for Romans 8:15

The spirit of adoption [πνευμα υιοτεσιας]
See note on this term υιοτεσια — huiothesia on Galatians 4:4. Also see Galatians 4:5. Both Jews and Gentiles receive this “adoption” into the family of God with all its privileges. “ [source]
Whereby we cry, Abba, Father []
” See note on Galatians 4:6 for discussion of this double use of Father as the child‘s privilege. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 8:15

Luke 13:11 A spirit of infirmity [πνευμα αστενειας]
A spirit that caused the weakness (αστενειας — astheneias lack of strength) like a spirit of bondage (Romans 8:15), genitive case. [source]
John 1:12 Sons [τέκνα]
Rev., more correctly, children. Son is υἱός . Τέκνον , child ( τίκτω , to bring forth ), denotes a relation based on community of nature, while υἱός , Son, may indicate only adoption and heirship. See Galatians 4:7. Except in Revelation 21:7, which is a quotation, John never uses υἱός to describe the relation of Christians to God, since he regards their position not as a result of adoption, but of a new life. Paul, on the other hand, regards the relation from the legal standpoint, as adoption, imparting a new dignity and relation (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5, Galatians 4:6). See also James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 1:23, where the point of view is John's rather than Paul's. Τέκνον , indicating the relationship of man to God, occurs in John 1:12; John 11:52; 1 John 3:1, 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:10; 1 John 5:2, and always in the plural. [source]
Romans 8:4 The Spirit [πνεῦμα]
From πνέω tobreathe or blow. The primary conception is wind or breath. Breath being the sign and condition of life in man, it comes to signify life. In this sense, physiologically considered, it is frequent in the classics. In the psychological sense, never. In the Old Testament it is ordinarily the translation of ruach It is also used to translate chai life, Isaiah 38:12; nbreath, 1 Kings 17:17. In the New Testament it occurs in the sense of wind or breath, John 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Hebrews 1:7. Closely related to the physiological sense are such passages as Luke 8:55; James 2:26; Revelation 13:15. Pauline Usage: 1. Breath, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. 2. The spirit or mind of man; the inward, self-conscious principle which feels and thinks and wills (1 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 1 Corinthians 7:34; Colossians 2:5). In this sense it is distinguished from σῶμα bodyor accompanied with a personal pronoun in the genitive, as my, our, his spirit (Romans 1:9; Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 16:18, etc.). It is used as parallel with ψυχή souland καρδία heartSee 1 Corinthians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; and compare John 13:21and John 12:27; Matthew 26:38and Luke 1:46, Luke 1:47. But while ψυχή soulis represented as the subject of life, πνεύμα spiritrepresents the principle of life, having independent activity in all circumstances of the perceptive and emotional life, and never as the subject. Generally, πνεύμα spiritmay be described as the principle, ψυχή soulas the subject, and καρδία heartas the organ of life. 3. The spiritual nature of Christ. Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 3:16. 4. The divine power or influence belonging to God, and communicated in Christ to men, in virtue of which they become πνευματικοί spiritual - recipientsand organs of the Spirit. This is Paul's most common use of the word. Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Galatians 4:6; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:8. In this sense it appears as: a. Spirit of God. Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 7:40; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Ephesians 3:16. b. Spirit of Christ. Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 4:6; Philemon 1:19. c. Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:8, etc. d. Spirit. With or without the article, but with its reference to the Spirit of God or Holy Spirit indicated by the context. Romans 8:16, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. 5. A power or influence, the character, manifestations, or results of which are more peculiarly defined by qualifying genitives. Thus spirit of meekness, faith, power, wisdom. Romans 8:2, Romans 8:15; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 1:17; 2 Timothy 1:7, etc. These combinations with the genitives are not mere periphrases for a faculty or disposition of man. By the spirit of meekness or wisdom, for instance, is not meant merely a meek or wise spirit; but that meekness, wisdom, power, etc., are gifts of the Spirit of God. This usage is according to Old Testament analogy. Compare Exodus 28:3; Exodus 31:3; Exodus 35:31; Isaiah 11:2. 6. In the plural, used of spiritual gifts or of those who profess to be under spiritual influence, 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 14:12. 7. Powers or influences alien or averse from the divine Spirit, but with some qualifying word. Thus, the spirit of the world; another spirit; spirit of slumber. Romans 11:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 1:7. Where these expressions are in negative form they are framed after the analogy of the positive counterpart with which they are placed in contrast. Thus Romans 8:15: “Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but of adoption. In other cases, as Ephesians 2:2, where the expression is positive, the conception is shaped according to Old-Testament usage, where spirits of evil are conceived as issuing from, and dependent upon, God, so far as He permits their operation and makes them subservient to His own ends. See Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 16:14-16, 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Kings 22:21sqq.; Isaiah 19:4. Spirit is found contrasted with letter, Romans 2:29; Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6. With flesh, Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:24. It is frequently associated with the idea of power (Romans 1:4; Romans 15:13, Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Galatians 3:5; Ephesians 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:7); and the verb ἐνεργεῖν , denoting to work efficaciously, is used to mark its special operation (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 3:20; Philemon 2:13; Colossians 1:29). It is also closely associated with life, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 15:4, 1 Corinthians 15:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 5:25; Galatians 6:8. It is the common possession of the Church and its members; not an occasional gift, but an essential element and mark of the christian life; not appearing merely or mainly in exceptional, marvelous, ecstatic demonstrations, but as the motive and mainspring of all christian action and feeling. It reveals itself in confession (1 Corinthians 12:3); in the consciousness of sonship (Romans 8:16); in the knowledge of the love of God (Romans 5:5); in the peace and joy of faith (Romans 14:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6); in hope (Romans 5:5; Romans 15:13). It leads believers (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18): they serve in newness of the Spirit (Romans 7:6) They walk after the Spirit (Romans 8:4, Romans 8:5; Galatians 5:16-25). Through the Spirit they are sanctified (2 Thessalonians 2:13). It manifests itself in the diversity of forms and operations, appearing under two main aspects: a difference of gifts, and a difference of functions. See Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:3, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:30; Philemon 2:1; [source]
Romans 8:23 Waiting for [απεκδεχομενοι]
The same verb used of nature in Romans 8:19. Our adoption (υιοτεσιαν — huiothesian). Our full “adoption” (see Romans 8:15), “the redemption of our body” (την απολυτρωσιν του σωματος ημων — tēn apolutrōsin tou sōmatos hēmōn). That is to come also. Then we shall have complete redemption of both soul and body. [source]
Romans 8:23 Our adoption [υιοτεσιαν]
Our full “adoption” (see Romans 8:15), “the redemption of our body” That is to come also. Then we shall have complete redemption of both soul and body. [source]
Romans 9:4 Whose [ων]
Predicate genitive of the relative, used also again with οι πατερες — hoi pateres For “the adoption” (η υιοτεσια — hē huiothesia) see note on Romans 8:15. [source]
Romans 9:4 Adoption []
See on Romans 8:15. Israel is always represented as the Lord's son or first-born among all peoples. Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 14:1; Hosea 11:1. [source]
Romans 8:23 Of the Spirit [του πνευματος]
The genitive of apposition. The Holy Spirit came on the great Pentecost and his blessings continue as seen in the “gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12-14, in the moral and spiritual gifts of Galatians 5:22. And greater ones are to come (1 Corinthians 15:44.). Even we ourselves (και αυτοι — kai autoi). He repeats for emphasis. We have our “groaning” (στεναζομεν — stenazomen) as well as nature. Waiting for The same verb used of nature in Romans 8:19. Our adoption (υιοτεσιαν — huiothesian). Our full “adoption” (see Romans 8:15), “the redemption of our body” (την απολυτρωσιν του σωματος ημων — tēn apolutrōsin tou sōmatos hēmōn). That is to come also. Then we shall have complete redemption of both soul and body. [source]
Romans 9:4 Israelites [Ισραηλειται]
Covenant name of the chosen people. Whose (ων — hōn). Predicate genitive of the relative, used also again with οι πατερες — hoi pateres For “the adoption” (η υιοτεσια — hē huiothesia) see note on Romans 8:15. The glory The Shekinah Glory of God (Romans 3:23) and used of Jesus in James 2:1. The covenants (αι διατηκαι — hai diathēkai). Plural because renewed often (Genesis 6:18; Genesis 9:9; Genesis 15:18; Genesis 17:2, Genesis 17:7, Genesis 17:9; Exodus 2:24). The giving of the law Old word, here only in N.T., from νομος — nomos and τιτημι — tithēmi The service (η λατρεια — hē latreia). The temple service (Hebrews 9:1, Hebrews 9:6). The fathers The patriarchs (Acts 3:13; Acts 7:32). [source]
2 Corinthians 3:17 Liberty []
Compare Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:7. [source]
Galatians 5:5 Through the Spirit [πνεύματι]
The Holy Spirit who inspires our faith. Not as Lightfoot, spiritually. The words πνεύματι ἐκ πίστεως are not to be taken as one conception, the Spirit which is of faith, but present two distinct and coordinate facts which characterize the waiting for the hope of righteousness; namely, the agency of the Holy Spirit, in contrast with the flesh (comp. Romans 7:6; Romans 8:4, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:16; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 2:22), and faith in contrast with the works of the law (comp. Galatians 3:3, and see Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:3; Romans 1:17; Romans 3:22; Romans 9:30; Romans 10:6). [source]
Galatians 4:6 Abba, Father []
Comp. Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15. Ὁ πατήρ theFather, is not added in order to explain the Aramaic Abba for Greek readers. Rather the whole phrase Ἁββά ὁ πατήρ had passed into the early Christian prayers, the Aramaic title by which Christ addressed his Father (Mark 14:36) being very early united with the Greek synonym. Such combinations of Hebrew and Greek addresses having the same meaning were employed in rabbinical writings. Comp. also Revelation 9:11; Revelation 12:9. [source]
Galatians 4:6 Crying [κρᾶζον]
A strong word, expressing deep emotion. The verb originally represents the sound of a croak or harsh scream; thence, generally, an inarticulate cry; an exclamation of fear or pain. The cry of an animal. So Aristoph. Knights, 1017, of the barking of a dog: 285,287, of two men in a quarrel, trying to bawl each other down: Frogs, 258, of the croaking of frogs. This original sense appears in N.T. usage, as Matthew 14:26; Matthew 15:23; Matthew 27:50; Mark 5:5, etc., and is recognized even where the word is used in connection with articulate speech, by adding to it the participles λέγων, λέγοντες sayingor διδάσκων teachingSee Matthew 8:29; Matthew 15:22; Mark 3:11; John 7:28, etc. In Mark 10:47the inarticulate cry and the articulate utterance are distinguished. At the same time, the word is often used of articulate speech without such additions, as Mark 10:48; Mark 11:9; Mark 15:13, Mark 15:14; Luke 18:39; Acts 7:60; Acts 19:34; Romans 8:15. It falls into more dignified association in lxx, where it is often used of prayer or appeal to God, as 4:3; 6:7; Psalm 21:2,5; 27:1,54:16; and in N.T., where it is applied to solemn, prophetic utterance, as Romans href="/desk/?q=ro+9:27&sr=1">Romans 9:27; John 1:15, and is used of Jesus himself, as John 7:28, John 7:37; John 12:44, and of the Holy Spirit, as here. The Spirit gives the inspiration of which the believer is the organ. In Romans 8:15the statement is inverted. The believer cries under the power of the Spirit. [source]
Galatians 4:5 The adoption [τὴν υἱοθεσίαν]
PoSee on Romans 8:15, and comp. Romans 9:4; Ephesians 1:5. Not sonship, but sonship conferred. [source]
Galatians 4:4 Born under the law [γενομενον υπο νομον]
He not only became a man, but a Jew. The purpose Late word common in the inscriptions (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 239) and occurs in the papyri also and in Diogenes Laertes, though not in lxx. Paul adopts this current term to express his idea (he alone in the N.T.) as to how God takes into his spiritual family both Jews and Gentiles who believe. See also Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23; Romans 9:4; Ephesians 1:5. The Vulgate uses adoptio filiorum. It is a metaphor like the others above, but a very expressive one. [source]
Galatians 4:4 Born of a woman [γενομενον εκ γυναικος]
As all men are and so true humanity, “coming from a woman.” There is, of course, no direct reference here to the Virgin Birth of Jesus, but his deity had just been affirmed by the words “his Son” He not only became a man, but a Jew. The purpose (ινα — hina) of God thus was plainly to redeem (εχαγορασηι — exagorasēi as in Galatians 3:13) those under the law, and so under the curse. The further purpose (ινα — hina) was that we (Jew and Gentile) might receive (απολαβωμεν — apolabōmen second aorist active subjunctive of απολαμβανω — apolambanō), not get back (Luke 15:27), but get from (απο — apo) God the adoption (την υιοτεσιαν — tēn huiothesian). Late word common in the inscriptions (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 239) and occurs in the papyri also and in Diogenes Laertes, though not in lxx. Paul adopts this current term to express his idea (he alone in the N.T.) as to how God takes into his spiritual family both Jews and Gentiles who believe. See also Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23; Romans 9:4; Ephesians 1:5. The Vulgate uses adoptio filiorum. It is a metaphor like the others above, but a very expressive one. [source]
Galatians 4:6 The Spirit of his Son [το πνευμα του υιοι αυτου]
The Holy Spirit, called the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9.), the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philemon 1:19). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son (John 15:26). Crying, Abba, Father (κραζον Αββα ο πατηρ — krazon Abba ho patēr). The participle agrees with πνευμα — pneuma neuter (grammatical gender), not neuter in fact. An old, though rare in present as here, onomatopoetic word to croak as a raven (Theophrastus, like Poe‘s The Raven), any inarticulate cry like “the unuttered groanings” of Romans 8:26 which God understands. This cry comes from the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. Αββα — Abba is the Aramaic word for father with the article and ο πατηρ — ho patēr translates it. The articular form occurs in the vocative as in John 20:28. It is possible that the repetition here and in Romans 8:15 may be “a sort of affectionate fondness for the very term that Jesus himself used” (Burton) in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:36). The rabbis preserve similar parallels. Most of the Jews knew both Greek and Aramaic. But there remains the question why Jesus used both in his prayer. Was it not natural for both words to come to him in his hour of agony as in his childhood? The same thing may be true here in Paul‘s case. [source]
Galatians 4:6 Crying, Abba, Father [κραζον Αββα ο πατηρ]
The participle agrees with πνευμα — pneuma neuter (grammatical gender), not neuter in fact. An old, though rare in present as here, onomatopoetic word to croak as a raven (Theophrastus, like Poe‘s The Raven), any inarticulate cry like “the unuttered groanings” of Romans 8:26 which God understands. This cry comes from the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. Αββα — Abba is the Aramaic word for father with the article and ο πατηρ — ho patēr translates it. The articular form occurs in the vocative as in John 20:28. It is possible that the repetition here and in Romans 8:15 may be “a sort of affectionate fondness for the very term that Jesus himself used” (Burton) in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:36). The rabbis preserve similar parallels. Most of the Jews knew both Greek and Aramaic. But there remains the question why Jesus used both in his prayer. Was it not natural for both words to come to him in his hour of agony as in his childhood? The same thing may be true here in Paul‘s case. [source]
Ephesians 1:5 Adoption [υἱοθεσίαν]
See on Romans 8:15. Never used of Christ. [source]
Ephesians 1:5 Unto adoption as sons [εις υιοτεσιαν]
For this interesting word see note on Galatians 4:5 (included with discussion of Galatians 4:4). Also see Romans 8:15; Romans 9:4. Unto himself (εις αυτον — eis auton). Unto God. According to the good pleasure of his will Here ευδοκιαν — eudokian means purpose like βουλην — boulēn in Ephesians 1:11 rather than benevolence (good pleasure). Note the preposition κατα — kata here for standard. [source]
Ephesians 1:17 A spirit of wisdom and revelation [πνευμα σοπιας και αποκαλυπσεως]
The Revised Version does not refer this use of πνευμα — pneuma to the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians 6:1; Romans 8:15), but it is open to question if it is possible to obtain this wisdom and revelation apart from the Holy Spirit. [source]
Ephesians 1:17 That - may give [ιναδωιη]
In Colossians 1:9 ινα — hina is preceded by αιτουμενοι — aitoumenoi but here the sub-final use depends on the general idea asking in the sentence. The form δωιη — dōiē is a late Koiné{[28928]}š optative (second aorist active) for the usual δοιη — doiē It occurs also in 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Romans 15:5; 2 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:18 in the text of Westcott and Hort. Here B 63 read δωι — dōi (like John 15:16) second aorist active subjunctive, the form naturally looked for after a primary tense This use of the volitive optative with ινα — hina after a primary tense is rare, but not unknown in ancient Greek. A spirit of wisdom and revelation (πνευμα σοπιας και αποκαλυπσεως — pneuma sophias kai apokalupseōs). The Revised Version does not refer this use of πνευμα — pneuma to the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians 6:1; Romans 8:15), but it is open to question if it is possible to obtain this wisdom and revelation apart from the Holy Spirit. In the knowledge of him In the full knowledge of Christ as in Colossians. [source]
Colossians 3:24 Of the inheritance []
Which consists or is in the inheritance. Compare the similar construction, Colossians 1:12. See Matthew 21:35-38, where the δοῦλος bond-servantand the κληρονόμος heirare contrasted; and Romans 8:15-17; Galatians 4:1-7. [source]
2 Timothy 1:7 Spirit of fear [πνεῦμα δειλίας]
Better, of cowardice. N.T. Comp. Romans 8:15, and see on the Spirit, Romans 8:4, § 5. [source]
2 Timothy 1:7 A spirit of fearfulness [πνευμα δειλιας]
Here πνευμα — pneuma is the χαρισμα — charisma of 2 Timothy 1:6, the human spirit as endowed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15). Δειλια — Deilia is an old word (δειλοσ δειδω — deilosδυναμεως — deidō) and always in a bad sense of cowardice, only here in N.T. [source]
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love [φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ]
Lit., fear is not. It has no existence. The fear is that spoken of in 1 Peter 1:17; Hebrews 12:28; godly fear; filial reverence; not slavish fear, as Romans 8:15. In love, lit., the love, that perfected love of which John has been speaking. [source]
1 John 4:18 Fear [ποβος]
Like a bond-slave (Romans 8:15), not the reverence of a son This kind of dread is the opposite of παρρησια — parrēsia (boldness). [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 8:15 mean?

Not for you have received a spirit of bondage again to fear but [the] Spirit of divine adoption as sons by whom we cry Abba - Father
Οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον ἀλλὰ πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἐν κράζομεν Ἀββᾶ Πατήρ

ἐλάβετε  you  have  received 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
πνεῦμα  a  spirit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
δουλείας  of  bondage 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: δουλεία  
Sense: slavery, bondage, the condition of a slave.
πάλιν  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλιν  
Sense: anew, again.
φόβον  fear 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: φόβος  
Sense: fear, dread, terror.
πνεῦμα  [the]  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
υἱοθεσίας  of  divine  adoption  as  sons 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: υἱοθεσία  
Sense: adoption, adoption as sons.
  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
κράζομεν  we  cry 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
Ἀββᾶ  Abba 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀββά  
Sense: father, customary title used of God in prayer.
  - 
Parse: Article, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Πατήρ  Father 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.