1 John 3:2 BSB — MannaFest

1 John 3:2

Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.

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.

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Commentary

5 voices

Tertullian

On the Resurrection of the Flesh (220)

In like manner John says: "And it doth not yet appear what we shall be: we know, however, that when He shall be manifest, we shall be like Him." We are far indeed from being already what we know not of; we should, of course, be sure to know it if we were already (like Him).

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

What we shall be - It is something ineffable, which will raise the children of God to be, in a manner, as God himself. But we know, in general, that when he, the Son of God, shall appear, we shall be like him - The glory of God penetrating our inmost substance. For we shall see him as he is - Manifestly, without a veil.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Their vile bodies shall be made like his glorious body; they shall be filled with life, light, and bliss from him. When he, who is their life, shall appear, they also shall appear with him in glory, Col. iii. Their likeness to him is argued from the sight they shall have of him: We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

We have the nature of sons by regeneration: we have the title, and spirit, and right to the inheritance of sons by adoption. This honour have all the saints. The discovery of the bliss belonging and suitable to this relation is denied: And it doth not yet appear what we shall be,

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Now 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 - Ουπω εφανερωθη· 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.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

22 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Ἀγαπητοί,	Agapētoi	Beloved,	G27 →
νῦν	nun	now	G3568 →
τέκνα	tekna	children	G5043 →
θεοῦ	theou	of God	G2316 →
ἐσμεν,	esmen	are we,	G1510 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
οὔπω	oupō	not yet	G3768 →
ἐφανερώθη	ephanerōthē	has been revealed	G5319 →
τί	ti	what	G5101 →
ἐσόμεθα·	esometha	we will be;	G1510 →
οἴδαμεν	oidamen	We know
ὅτι	hoti	that	G3754 →
ἐὰν	ean	when	G1437 →
φανερωθῇ,	phanerōthēa	He shall appear,	G5319 →
ὅμοιοι	homoioi	like	G3664 →
αὐτῷ	autō	Him	G846 →
ἐσόμεθα,	esometha	we will be,	G1510 →
ὅτι	hoti	for	G3754 →
ὀψόμεθα	opsometha	we will behold	G3700 →
αὐτὸν	auton	Him	G846 →
καθώς	kathōs	even as	G2531 →
ἐστιν.	estin	He is.	G1510 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:6
  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of…
- Ephesians 4:22–24
  to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Romans 12:2
  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12
  Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Through
1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
leads to
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 13:9–10
  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
Through
Philippians 3:21
who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
leads to
- Colossians 3:4
  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Featured studies on this passage

On 1 John 3:2

Creation to New Creation

The Bible begins in a garden and ends in a city — and the city has the garden in the middle of it. Seven explicit textual echoes bind Genesis 1–2 to Revelation 21–22.

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