8:21a

that: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as that :

(1) It means that here. It introduces what the hope (8:20) is.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)

(2) It means because here. It introduces the reason for the hope. For example:

because (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that seems to fit the context best.

the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay: This clause speaks of creation as if it were a person who is a slave. It indicates that all things of this creation corrupt or decay. It cannot produce things that last forever.

Some languages cannot use this figure of speech. If that is true in your language, translate without the figure of speech. For example:

all that was created will be-set-free in-the-future from the power of decay and death
-or-
the creation itself will be changed so that the things of it will no longer corrupt/decay

the creation itself will be set free: This clause is passive. Some languages must translate with an active clause. For example:

⌊God⌋ will set creation itself free
-or-
the creation itself, ⌊God⌋ will set it free

the creation itself: The word itself emphasizes the words the creation.

will be set free: The Greek has the word that means “also” here. For example:

also will be set free (New American Standard Bible)

set free: Here these words refer to removing creation from being like a slave to corruption. Here are other ways to translate these words:

liberated (New International Version)
-or-
freed (New Jerusalem Bible)

bondage: The Greek word refers to being a slave to someone or something. A slave must do what the master says. Here the creation always follows the way of corruption and so all the things of this creation corrupt or decay. Here are other ways to translate this word:

slavery (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
being tied

decay: This Greek word refers to what happens to things when they go bad, for example, meat spoils and wood rots. Here are other ways to translate this word:

corruption (English Standard Version)
-or-
spoil

8:21b

and brought into: The Greek word here is literally just into. It indicates that when God frees creation from slavery to corruption, it will also enter into the freedom that exists in the future glory of God’s adopted children. Creation will be free from corruption and be eternal. Here are other ways to translate this word:

and obtain (English Standard Version)
-or-
and share in (New American Bible, Revised Edition)

the glorious freedom: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translated as the glorious freedom is literally “the freedom of glory.” Here scholars understand the Greek grammar of the word “of” in a number of ways. A few scholars and many English versions think it means “described by” (as in the Berean Standard Bible). Other scholars think it means “belonging to” or “is associated with.” That would be the usual way to understand the use of the word “of” as in the English Standard Version:

the freedom of the glory… (English Standard Version)

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