The Nugget:
1Jn 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)
1Jn 3:2 beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is; (YLT, Young’s Literal Translation)
1Jn 3:2 My beloved, now are we the sons of God; and hitherto, it hath not appeared what we are to be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be in his likeness, and we shall see him as he is. (Murdock NT)
1Jn 3:2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. (NET Bible)
1Jn 3:2 Dearly beloved, we are now God’s children, but what we are going to be has not been unveiled. We know that if it is unveiled, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. (Williams New Testament)
1Jn 3:2 My dear friends, we are now God’s children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. (GNB, Good News Bible)
1Jn 3:2 Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. (GW, God’s Word translation)
1Jn 3:2 My loved ones, now we are children of God, and at present it is not clear what we are to be. We are certain that at his revelation we will be like him; for we will see him as he is. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)
1Jn 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God. We have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him. We will see him just as he is. (ERV, Easy to Read Version)
1Jn 3:2 My dear friends, we are already God’s children, though what we will be hasn’t yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)
My Comment:
This verse and the following verse give encouraging insight about what we will be like when Jesus returns. These verses also give us the reason we should be studying Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy was not written primarily to satisfy our curiosity about coming future events. Bible prophecy has been recorded to motivate us to live lives that are pleasing to God. The Bible has the power to transform our lives so that we become more like our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dig deeper into what the Bible says about subjects mentioned in 1 John 3:2 by reading the cross references available for this verse:
From the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge,
1 John 3:2
now are we the: 1Jn 3:1, 1Jn 5:1; Isa 56:5; Rom 8:14, 15, Rom 8:18; Gal 3:26, Gal 4:6
it: Psa 31:19; Rom 8:18; 1Co 2:9, 1Co 13:12; 2Co 4:17
what: Psa 17:15; Rom 8:29; 1Co 15:49; Php 3:21; 2Pe 1:4
when: Mal 3:2; Col 3:4; Heb 9:28
for: Job 19:26; Psa 16:11; Mat 5:8; Jhn 17:24; 1Co 13:12; 2Co 3:18, 2Co 5:6, 7, 8
From The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury,
1 John 3:2
now are we the the sons. See on 1Jn 3:1, 1Jn 5:1, Gen 23:6 mg. Deut 14:1, Isa 56:5, Hos 1:10, Mat 13:38, Rom 5:1; *Rom 8:14; *Rom 8:15; *Rom 8:18; Rom 9:8, 2Co 6:18, *Gal 3:7; *Gal 3:26; *Gal 3:29; Gal 4:5, 6, Eph 1:5; Eph 5:1, *Heb 2:10, 11, 12, 2Pe 1:4.
it doth not yet appear. Gr. phaneroō (S# G5319, 2Co 2:14). Aorist tense, passive voice, indicative mood verb. The force of the aorist tense is, was never manifested on any occasion (Vincent). Exo 28:2, 1Ki 10:7, 2Ch 9:6, Job 37:19, Psa 31:19; Psa 83:3, **Isa 64:4, Mat 7:11; Mat 17:4; Mat 22:30, Mrk 9:5; +*Mrk 10:30, Luk 20:36, *Rom 8:18; *Rom 8:23, **1Co 2:9; *1Co 13:9; *1Co 13:12; 1Co 15:37, 38; 1Co 15:53, **2Co 4:17; **2Co 4:18; 2Co 5:1; 2Co 12:4, +*Php 3:21, Col 3:3; Col 3:5, 6, Heb 10:34, 1Pe 1:5.
what we shall be. This what suggests something unspeakable, contained in the likeness of God (Bengel, cited by Wuest). *Psa 17:15, Mat 22:30, Mrk 12:25, Jhn 14:2, +*Rom 8:23; +*Rom 8:29, 1Co 15:49, *2Co 4:6, *Php 3:21, Jas 1:9, 2Pe 1:4.
we know. Gr. oida, Jhn 8:55 note. 1Jn 3:14, 1Jn 5:2; 1Jn 5:15; 1Jn 5:18, 19, 20, Jhn 19:35; Jhn 21:24, 2Co 5:1.
when. Gr. ean, if. FS184C, Mat 4:9. +1Jn 2:28, Mal 3:2, Mat 19:28, *Col 3:4, +*Heb 9:28 note.
shall appear. Gr. phaneroō (S# G5319, 2Co 2:14). 1Jn 3:5, +1Jn 2:28, Psa 73:25, Jhn 2:11; Jhn 7:4; Jhn 14:3; Jhn 17:6; Jhn 21:1, +*Act 1:11, 1Co 1:7, 2Co 5:8, +*Col 3:4, 1Ti 6:14, +*Tit 2:13, 1Pe 5:1; 1Pe 5:4, Rev 1:7.
like. Gr. homoios (S# G3664, Mat 11:16). This likeness has to do with physical likeness, not spiritual likeness (see Wuest). =Exo 28:2; Exo 28:41, Psa 90:17, Zep 3:13, Jhn 8:55; Jhn 15:18, +*Rom 8:4; Rom 8:19; **Rom 8:29, 1Co 15:44; 1Co 15:49; 1Co 15:53, **2Co 3:18; 2Co 4:11, **+Php 3:21, Tit 2:14, 1Pe 2:22, **2Pe 1:4, Rev 1:13; Rev 1:15; Rev 4:3; Rev 9:7; Rev 9:10; Rev 9:19; Rev 13:4; Rev 18:18.
for we shall see. 1Jn 3:6, %Exo 33:18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, Num 14:14, *Job 19:26, +*Psa 16:11; Psa 17:15, Isa 33:17, *+Mat 5:8, Luk 9:32, Jhn 17:24, **1Co 13:12, 2Co 3:18; **2Co 5:6, 7, 8, Eph 1:18, +**Heb 12:14, +*Rev 1:7; Rev 21:23; Rev 21:27; *Rev 22:3; *Rev 22:4.
as. or, even as. 1Jn 2:6.
he is. Exo 29:43.