For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
- BSB The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation 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 3:17–18And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
- Rom 8:23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
- 1 Jn 3:2Beloved, 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.
- Phil 1:20According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
- 2 Pet 3:11–13Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
- Isa 65:17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
- Rev 21:1–5And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
- Acts 3:21Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
- Matt 25:31–46When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
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.