“Sons of God” appears in Scripture in multiple contexts, and each one carries a different weight.
The phrase is used for angels, for believers, and in one of the most debated passages in the entire Old Testament.
Understanding each usage requires knowing which context you are reading and which Hebrew or Greek phrase lies behind the translation.
This post covers every major use of the phrase, presents the three main interpretations of Genesis 6, and explains what it means for Christians to be called sons of God today.
The Phrase in Summary: Three Contexts, Three Meanings
The phrase “sons of God” carries a distinct meaning depending on where it appears.
In Job, Psalm 29, and Deuteronomy 32, it refers to angelic or heavenly beings who stand before God.
In Genesis 6, it is the most disputed usage in Scripture, with three competing interpretations that serious scholars still debate.
In the New Testament, it refers to those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ.
Each context requires separate treatment.
“Sons of God” as Heavenly Beings: The Clearest Uses
The Hebrew phrase in these texts is bene ha-Elohim, literally “sons of the Elohim.”
In Job 1:6 and 2:1
NIV “One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.” (Job 1:6)
Some translations render this “sons of God,” others render it “angels.”
Either way, the context is unmistakable: these are supernatural beings who stand in the heavenly court before God.
Satan is presented as distinct from them, coming among them but not of them.
In Job 38:7
God describes the moment of creation, asking Job where he was “when the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.”
Many manuscripts render “angels” as “sons of God.”
These are heavenly beings who witnessed creation before humanity existed.
In Psalm 89:6 and Psalm 29:1
ESV “For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?” (Psalm 89:6)
“Heavenly beings” is bene Elim, a related phrase also translated “sons of God” or “sons of the mighty.”
These are beings of the heavenly realm, not human creatures.
The consistent usage in these texts leaves little doubt: when bene ha-Elohim refers to the heavenly court, it means supernatural beings, not humans.
The Genesis 6 Debate: Three Views
Genesis 6:1–4 is one of the most contested passages in biblical scholarship.
NASB “The sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.” (Genesis 6:2)
The resulting offspring are called the Nephilim, “mighty men of renown.”
Three major interpretive positions exist.
View 1: Fallen Angels
The most linguistically consistent interpretation holds that “sons of God” in Genesis 6 refers to fallen angels.
The argument rests primarily on consistent usage: the identical Hebrew phrase (bene ha-Elohim) in Job refers to heavenly beings, so the same phrase in Genesis should mean the same thing.
Early Jewish interpreters in the Second Temple period held this view, as did early church fathers, including Justin Martyr and Tertullian (a second-century Christian apologist and a North African theologian).
Jude 6 supports it: “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”
2 Peter 2:4 adds that God did not spare angels when they sinned.
The primary objection is Matthew 22:30, where Jesus says angels in heaven neither marry nor are given in marriage.
Defenders of this view argue that Jesus was describing the behavior of faithful angels in heaven, not the capacity of fallen angels who deliberately violated God’s order.
View 2: Godly Line of Seth
This view, championed by Augustine and later by Calvin, identifies the “sons of God” as the righteous descendants of Seth who intermarried with the descendants of Cain.
The “daughters of men” become the ungodly Cainite women.
The sin was spiritual compromise: the godly line abandoned its separation and married into wickedness.
The result was universal corruption that preceded the flood.
This view avoids the difficulty of angels reproducing and keeps the passage within the human narrative of Genesis.
Its weakness is linguistic: the phrase “sons of God” elsewhere does not mean “righteous humans.”
Conflating two human lineages under a divine-human contrast requires assumptions the text does not supply.
View 3: Tyrannical Human Rulers
A third position, with ancient roots, identifies the “sons of God” as powerful kings or rulers in the ancient Near East who claimed divine status.
These men took multiple wives by force, asserting divine authority over human women.
The Nephilim on this reading are the violent, despotic offspring of such unions.
This view has historical support from ancient Near Eastern cultures, where kings commonly claimed divine descent.
Its weakness is that “sons of God” in the Old Testament never clearly refers to human rulers claiming divinity.
Where the Weight of Evidence Points
The fallen angel view has the strongest linguistic footing: the identical Hebrew phrase in Job refers to supernatural beings, and the New Testament texts in Jude and 2 Peter appear to reference Genesis 6 specifically.
The Sethite view has held wide appeal among Reformed theologians but requires redefining a phrase the Old Testament uses consistently for supernatural beings.
Christians disagree on this passage, and the dispute does not touch any essential doctrine.
What all three views agree on is this: whatever happened in Genesis 6 was severe enough corruption to prompt the flood.
“Sons of God” in the New Testament: Believers in Christ
Outside the Genesis 6 debate, the most theologically significant use of “sons of God” belongs to the New Testament.
NIV “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
The Greek word here is teknon, meaning children.
The New Testament also uses huios (son) in this sense.
ESV “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)
This is not a biological relationship.
It is a legal and relational adoption through faith in Jesus Christ.
NASB “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.” (1 John 3:1)
The phrase moves from describing angelic beings in the Old Testament to describing redeemed human beings in the New.
The bridge is Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who by becoming human and dying for sin opened the door for humans to enter the family of God.
Paul describes this directly:
NIV “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!'” (Romans 8:15)
Adoption is a legal act with full legal consequences: sons with full inheritance rights.
What This Means for the Christian
The phrase “sons of God” traces an arc across the entire Bible, from the heavenly court to Genesis 6 to a declaration about who belongs to God through Christ.
If you are in Christ, you are not reading about others when you encounter this phrase.
The same God before whom the angels stood in Job is the God who has adopted you.
The same Spirit now dwells in you and cries “Abba, Father.”
Questions About the Sons of God in the Bible
Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?
Three main views exist: fallen angels who took human wives, righteous descendants of Seth who married Cainite women, or powerful human rulers claiming divine status. The fallen angel view has the strongest linguistic support, since the identical Hebrew phrase in Job refers to supernatural beings.
Are the sons of God the same as angels?
In Old Testament texts like Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7, yes. The Hebrew phrase bene ha-Elohim consistently refers to heavenly beings in those contexts. In Genesis 6, the same phrase appears, which is why many scholars see angels there, too. In the New Testament, the phrase refers to redeemed believers.
What are the Nephilim, and are they connected to the sons of God?
The Nephilim appear in Genesis 6:4 as offspring born when the sons of God came to the daughters of men, described as mighty men of renown. If the sons of God were fallen angels, the Nephilim were hybrid beings. If human, they were simply powerful men of that era.
What does it mean for Christians to be called sons of God?
It means full legal adoption into God’s family through faith in Christ. Romans 8:14–17 describes the sons of God as heirs sharing Christ’s inheritance. It is not earned by behavior but granted by the Father through the Son’s work and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.
Does Matthew 22:30 prove the sons of God in Genesis 6 were not angels?
Jesus said angels in heaven neither marry nor are given in marriage. Defenders of the fallen angel view argue that this describes faithful angels, not fallen ones who deliberately violated God’s order. The verse creates difficulty for the fallen angel’s view but does not definitively settle it.
Is “sons of God” the same as “children of God”?
In the New Testament, both phrases describe believers. Greek uses huios (son) and teknon (child) in overlapping ways when describing those who belong to God through Christ. Both terms emphasize relationship and inheritance rather than gender. The distinction is one of nuance, not of who is included.
A Prayer for Those Who Bear the Name
Father, I do not fully understand every place this phrase appears in Your Word.
The debates are old and the scholars disagree.
But this I know: You have given me the right to be called Your child.
Not because I earned it, not because I am worthy of it, but because Your Son bore the penalty I owed and You counted His righteousness as mine.
Let me live today as someone who knows whose son I am.
Not with arrogance, but with the quiet confidence of an adopted child who has read the will and seen their name written in it.
Amen.
Consulted Sources
Heiser, M. S. (2015). The unseen realm: Recovering the supernatural worldview of the Bible. Lexham Press.
Wenham, G. J. (1987). Genesis 1–15 (Word Biblical Commentary). Word Books.
Grudem, W. (1994). Systematic theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine. Zondervan.
GotQuestions.org. (2026). Who were the sons of God and daughters of men in Genesis 6?
Ligonier Ministries. (n.d.). Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?
The Gospel Coalition. (2020). Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?
Bible Study Tools. (n.d.). Who are the sons of God?
Christian Research Institute. (n.d.). Who were the sons of God in Genesis 6?
(2024). The sons of God: Three interpretations of Genesis 6:1–4. Via Emmaus Blog.
(2025). Genesis 6 and the sons of God. Thinking on Scripture Blog.
Crosswalk.com. (n.d.). Who are the sons of God in the Bible?
