The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
- KJV For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
- NKJV For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
- NASB For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.
- NLT For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Creation itself eagerly longs for God's children to be revealed. The whole created order awaits the consummation tied to our glorification.
Overview
Paul personifies creation as straining forward with eager expectation. Its longing is fixed on the revealing of the children of God, the moment of their final glory. This shows that human redemption has cosmic significance, drawing all creation into the scope of God's saving purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Mal 3:17–18“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
- Rom 8:23Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
- 1 Jn 3:2Beloved, 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.
- Phil 1:20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
- 2 Pet 3:11–13Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
- Isa 65:17For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
- Rev 21:1–5Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- Acts 3:21Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
- Matt 25:31–46When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 8:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.