Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

1 John 3:2

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.

KJV

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

Greek NT

Carissimi, nunc filii Dei sumus : et nondum apparuit quid erimus. Scimus quoniam cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus : quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est.

Vulgate

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.

ASV

Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

16 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
εἴδω
eido
verb · 317×
θεός
theos
noun · 1311×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
καθώς
kathos
adverb · 181×
νῦν
nun
adverb · 147×
οὔπω
oupo
adverb · 25×
τέκνον
teknon
noun · 99×
τίς
tis
interrogative_pronoun · 533×
φανερόω
phaneroo
verb · 49×
ἀγαπητός
agapetos
adjective · 61×
ἐάν
ean
conditional · 333×
ὁράω
orao
verb · 682×
ὅμοιος
omoios
adjective · 45×
ὅτι
oti
conjunction · 1299×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

notable
SBLGNT: οἴδαμεν | WH/Treg/NIV: οἴδαμεν | RP: + δὲ
  • οἴδαμεν — SBLGNT
  • οἴδαμεν — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • + δὲ — Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Doctrines that cite this verse

Historic Christian voices

15 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§1023Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they "see him as he is," face to face:596 By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints . . . and other faithful who died after receiving Christ's holy Baptism …
§1161All the signs in the liturgical celebrations are related to Christ: as are sacred images of the holy Mother of God and of the saints as well. They truly signify Christ, who is glorified in them. They make manifest the "cloud of witnesses"29 who continue to participate in the salvation of the world and to whom we are united, above all in sacramental celebrations. Through their i…
§2519The "pure in heart" are promised that they will see God face to face and be like him.311 Purity of heart is the precondition of the vision of God. Even now it enables us to see according to God, to accept others as "neighbors"; it lets us perceive the human body - ours and our neighbor's - as a temple of the Holy Spirit, a manifestation of divine beauty.
…and 1 more from this source.
Chapter 29.—Of the Beatific Vision. And now let us consider, with such ability as God may vouchsafe, how the saints shall be employed when they are clothed in immortal and spiritual bodies, and when the flesh shall live no longer in a fleshly but a spiritual fashion. And indeed, to tell the truth, I am at a loss to understand the nature of that employment, or, shall I rather sa…
§46We begin with the similarity which we see existing between Head and body, in that they have the same nature; and in this connection it must be observed that our nature, although inferior to that of the angels, nevertheless through God's goodness has risen above it: "For Christ," as Aquinas says, "is Head of the angels; for even in His humanity He is superior to angels... Even a…
Of the goodness of God explained in the creation of things, and of the Trinity as found in the first words of Genesis. The story concerning the origin of the world (Genesis 1) is allegorically explained, and he applies it to those things which God works for sanctified and blessed man. Finally, he makes an end of this work, having implored eternal rest from God. Chapter 1. He Ca…
Summa Theologica · 3 passages
Can any created intellect see the essence of God? Is the essence of God seen by the intellect through any created image? Can the essence of God be seen by the corporeal eye? Is any created intellectual substance sufficient by its own natural powers to see the essence of God? Does the created intellect need any created light in order to see the essence of God? Of those who see G…
Is happiness something uncreated? If it be something created, is it an operation? Is it an operation of the sensitive, or only of the intellectual part? If it be an operation of the intellectual part, is it an operation of the intellect, or of the will? If it be an operation of the intellect, is it an operation of the speculative or of the practical intellect? If it be an opera…
Is the object of faith the First Truth? Is the object of faith something complex or incomplex, i.e. is it a thing or a proposition? Can anything false come under faith? Can the object of faith be anything seen? Can it be anything known? Should the things to be believed be divided into a certain number of articles? These articles: are they of faith for all times? The number of a…
Q. How does the resurrection of the body comfort you? A. Not only my soul will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but even my very flesh, raised by the power of Christ, will be reunited with my soul and made like Christ's glorious body.
The Synod rejects the errors of those who teach that the teaching of the assurance of perseverance and of salvation is by its very nature and character an opiate of the flesh and is harmful to godliness, good morals, prayer, and other holy exercises, but that, on the contrary, to have doubt about this is praiseworthy. For these people show that they do not know the effective op…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 1:7 — So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
  • 1Cor 2:9 — But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
  • 1Cor 13:9 — For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
  • 1Cor 13:12 — For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
  • 1Cor 13:12 — For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
  • 1Cor 15:49 — And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
  • 1Cor 15:49 — And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
  • 1Cor 15:53 — For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
  • 1John 2:28 — And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
  • 1John 2:28 — And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
  • 1John 3:1 — Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
  • 1John 3:6 — Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
  • 1John 5:1 — Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
  • 1Kgs 10:7 — Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
  • 1Pet 5:1 — The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
  • 1Pet 5:4 — And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
  • 2Cor 3:18 — But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
  • 2Cor 4:17 — For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
  • 2Cor 4:17 — For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
  • 2Cor 5:1 — For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
  • 2Cor 5:6 — Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
  • 2Cor 5:8 — We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
  • 2Pet 1:4 — Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
  • 2Pet 1:4 — Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
  • Col 3:3 — For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
  • Col 3:4 — When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
  • Col 3:4 — When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
  • Eph 4:24 — And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
  • Gal 3:26 — For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
  • Gal 4:6 — And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
  • Heb 9:28 — So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
  • Heb 9:28 — So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
  • Heb 12:14 — Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
  • Isa 33:17 — Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
  • Isa 56:5 — Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
  • Job 19:26 — And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
  • Job 19:26 — And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
  • John 14:3 — And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
  • John 17:24 — Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
  • John 17:24 — Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.