1 John 3:2

1 John 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
• New International Version (NIV)Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Context of 1 John 3:2

1Think about how much God the Father loves us. He calls us his children! God loves us so much that we really have become his children. The people who belong to this world do not understand who God is. Because of that, they do not understand who we are. My friends, we are already children of God. We do not yet know clearly what we will become. But we do know this: when Christ returns to this world, we will become like him. We will be like him because we will see him as he really is. 3Christ is completely good. So all of us who hope to see him then must keep ourselves clean from sin. 4If a person continues to do wrong things, he is choosing not to obey God's rules. Sin is when we do not obey God's rules.

1 John 3:2 word by word

Ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα· οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ, ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα, ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• are weεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the sonsτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• it dothφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
• not yetοὔπωoupō · not yetG3768
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• butδέde · thenG1161
• we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• whenἐάνean · ifG1437
• likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• we shall seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531

Cross-references for 1 John 3:2

• 1 John 3:1Think about how much God the Father loves us. He calls us his children! God loves us so much that we really have become his children. The people who belong to this world do not understand who God is. Because of that, they do not understand who we are.
• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is God's Messiah has become a child of God. And if we love God, our Father, we will love his other children too.
• Isaiah 56:5If they do that, I will give them a special place in my temple. It will cause people to remember them. Their name will continue in a better way than through sons and daughters. People will always honour their name. Nobody will cut it off.
• Romans 8:14All those people who live with God's Spirit as their guide are God's children.
• Galatians 3:26All of you are God's children because you believe in Christ Jesus.
• Galatians 4:6Because we are his children, God has sent his Son's Spirit to live inside us. His Spirit causes us to call God, ‘Father, my Father’.
• Psalms 31:19You have prepared many good things to bless people who respect you. While everyone watches, you bless those who come to you for help.
• Romans 8:18During this time now, we have troubles and pain. But I am sure that these troubles are not really very great. One day God will show us all the great things he has prepared for us. That will make the troubles that we have now seem very small.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9This is written in the Bible: ‘Nobody ever saw or heard anything about this. Nobody ever thought that it could happen. But these are the things that God has prepared for his people who love him.’
• 1 Corinthians 13:12At this time, we see things as if we were looking at them in a mirror. What we see now is not clear. But the time will come when we do not need a mirror. We will see everything clearly. Now we know only a part of what is true. But then we will know everything completely. We will understand completely, just as God understands us completely.
• 2 Corinthians 4:17We have these little troubles that continue for a short time. But as a result, we will receive the great things that God has prepared for us. Those great things are much more important than our little troubles. And God's great things will continue for ever!
• Malachi 3:2‘But when he comes, he will be like a hot fire that makes metal pure. He will be like strong soap that makes clothes completely clean. Nobody will be able to stand in front of him when he appears. On that day, nobody will remain the same.
• Colossians 3:4You have that new life because you belong to Christ. One day, Christ will show himself clearly to everyone. Then everyone will see that you are with him. They will see that you also are great, like he is.
• Hebrews 9:28Christ also died only once as a sacrifice. In this way, he took God's punishment for the sins of many people. Christ will return to earth a second time, but that will not be as a sacrifice for sins. That time, he will come to save those people who are waiting patiently for him.
• Psalms 17:15As for me, Lord, I am not guilty of sin. So I will see your face. When I wake up, I will see you clearly, and I will be really happy!
• Romans 8:29God already had those people in his thoughts from the beginning. He decided that they should become like his Son. So then, his Son would have many younger brothers and sisters.

Commentaries on 1 John 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Now are we the sons of God - He speaks of those who are begotten of God, and who work righteousness. See the preceding chapter. And it doth not yet appear what we shall be - · It is not yet manifest; though we know that we are the children of God, we do not know that state of glorious excellence to which, as such, we shall be raised. When he shall appear - · When he shall be manifested; i.e., when he comes the second time, and shall be manifested in his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God - We now in fact sustain this rank and dignity, and on that we may reflect with pleasure and gratitude. It is in itself an exalted honor, and may be contemplated as such, whatever may be true in regard to what is to come. In the dignity and the privileges which we now enjoy, we may find a grateful subject of reflection, and a cause of thankfulness, even if we should look to nothing beyond, or when we contemplate the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3When Christ returns, we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. God’s children bear the image of Christ and will share in his glory (see Romans 8:18–30). Those who have this hope keep themselves pure, seeking to become more like Christ as they await his glorious return. It is partly for this reason that God’s children will not be ashamed when Christ comes (1 John 2:29).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Beloved--by the Father, and therefore by me. now--in contrast to "not yet." We now already are really sons, though not recognized as such by the world, and (as the consequence) we look for the visible manifestation of our sonship, which not yet has taken place. doth not yet appear--Greek, "it hath not yet ('at any time,' Greek aorist) been visibly manifested what we shall be"--what further glory we shall attain by virtue of this our sonship. The "what"…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 3:2

• Adoption
• Assurance
• Image
• Jesus Continued
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Sons of God
• Appear
• Assure
• Condemn
• Heaven
• Hope
• Pleasing
• Resurrection of Christ

Commentaries on 1 John 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings