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1 John 2
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
1 John 2
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Jesus Is Our Advocate With God. We Know That We Know Him If We Keep His Commands
2 My little-children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate[a] with the Father: Jesus Christ the Righteous. 2 And He Himself is the satisfaction[b] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world’s. 3 And by this we know that we have come-to-know Him: if we are keeping His commandments. 4 The one claiming that “I have come-to-know Him” and not keeping His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this one. 5 But whoever is keeping His word, truly the love of God has been perfected[c] in this one. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one claiming to be abiding in Him ought just as that One walked also himself thus to be walking.
If We Are Loving One Another, We Are Abiding In The Light
7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old[d] commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard. 8 Yet-again I am writing a new[e] commandment to you, which[f] is true[g] in Him and in you, because[h] the darkness is passing-away and the true Light[i] is already shining. 9 The one claiming to be in the light and hating his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one loving his brother is abiding in the light, and there is no cause-of-falling in him. 11 But the one hating his brother is in the darkness, and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness blinded his eyes.
I Am Writing To You Because of What Has Already Happened In Your Life
12 I am writing to you, little-children[j], because your sins have been forgiven you for-the-sake-of His name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One from the beginning. I am writing to you, young-men, because you have overcome the evil one.
I Wrote To You Because of Who And What You Already Know
14 I wrote[k] to you, children, because you have known the Father. I wrote to you, fathers, because you have known the One from the beginning. I wrote to you, young-men, because you are strong ones, and the word of God is abiding in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
So Don’t Love The World Or Pursue Its Desires. The One Doing God’s Will Abides Forever
15 Do not be loving the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone is loving the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 Because everything in the world— the desire of [l] the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the boastful-pride of life[m]— is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing-away, and its desire. But the one doing the will of God abides forever.
Children, Antichrists Have Arisen
18 Children, it is the last[n] hour. And just as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen— from which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of [o] us. For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out in order that they might be made-evident that[p] they all are not of us.
You Have God’s Anointing And You Know The Truth. Let It Abide In You And You In It
20 And you have an Anointing[q] from the Holy One, and you all have-knowledge[r]. 21 I did not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that[s] every lie is not from[t] the truth. 22 Who is the liar if not the one denying that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone denying the Son does also-not have the Father. The one confessing[u] the Son also has the Father. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning be abiding in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which He Himself promised to us: eternal life. 26 I wrote these things to you concerning the ones deceiving you. 27 And the Anointing which you received from Him is abiding in you. And you have no need that anyone should be teaching[v] you; but as His Anointing is teaching you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it[w] taught you, be abiding[x] in it[y].
Abide In Christ So That If He Appears You May Have Confidence And Not Shame
28 And now little-children, be abiding[z] in Him so that if He appears, we may have confidence and not be put-to-shame[aa] by Him at His coming.
Abiding Means Doing Righteousness, Which Characterizes All Those Born From God
29 If you know[ab] that He[ac] is righteous, you know that everyone also doing righteousness has been born[ad] from Him.
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:1 Or, defender, intercessor.
- 1 John 2:2 Or, propitiation; the sacrifice offered to remove God’s wrath against our sin.
- 1 John 2:5 Or, brought-to-completion.
- 1 John 2:7 Some think it is old in the sense that it is in the Law of Moses; others, in that it was spoken by Jesus Himself; others, in that the readers have had it since they first became Christians.
- 1 John 2:8 That is, ‘new’ in that it is Christ’s ‘new commandment’, Jn 13:34. Or, ‘new’ in that John gives us here a fresh statement of the old command they heard from the beginning.
- 1 John 2:8 This does not refer back to ‘new commandment’, as it appears in English. John may mean ‘all of which’ (everything included in what I am writing here); or, ‘the newness of which’.
- 1 John 2:8 That is, genuinely present, truly seen.
- 1 John 2:8 John may be explaining why he is writing (as in v 12-14); or, why it is true in Him and in you (because His light is shining in you).
- 1 John 2:8 Or, light.
- 1 John 2:12 little children... fathers... young-men. Some think John is referring to all Christians from three viewpoints; others, that ‘little children’ refers to all Christians (as elsewhere in the letter), who are then divided into two groups; others, that three groups are intended. In the last two views, some think the groups represent stages of spiritual growth; others, tenure as a Christian; others, physical age.
- 1 John 2:14 John may mean ‘wrote’ from the readers viewpoint when they receive the letter, ‘writing’ (v 12-13) from his viewpoint as he writes; or, ‘wrote’ what he has already written, ‘writing’ the whole letter. Some think the change in tense is merely stylistic.
- 1 John 2:16 That is, belonging to; or, proceeding from.
- 1 John 2:16 That is, the manner of living, the things or goods of life.
- 1 John 2:18 That is, the final period of time, which extends from when antichrists first appear until Christ returns.
- 1 John 2:19 That is, belonging to us.
- 1 John 2:19 That is, that none of those who left are of us. Or, made-evident, because. That is, because not all the people in the church are of us.
- 1 John 2:20 That is, the Holy Spirit.
- 1 John 2:20 That is, you all have the knowledge you need to discern between truth and error.
- 1 John 2:21 Or, and because. This may be a second thing they know; or, a second reason John wrote to them.
- 1 John 2:21 That is, originating from, belonging to.
- 1 John 2:23 Or, declaring.
- 1 John 2:27 That is, teaching you about God beyond what the Anointing and Christ through His servants (Eph 4:11) are teaching you.
- 1 John 2:27 That is, just as His Anointing taught you from the beginning. Or, as He (Jesus) taught you when He was on Earth.
- 1 John 2:27 Or, you are abiding.
- 1 John 2:27 That is, in the teaching, as in v 24. Or, in Him, as in v 28.
- 1 John 2:28 John turns from abiding in His truth to abiding in His character, His righteousness (2:29-3:10) and love (3:10-24).
- 1 John 2:28 Or, shrink-in-shame from Him.
- 1 John 2:29 Or, understand, recognize.
- 1 John 2:29 That is, the Father; or, Jesus.
- 1 John 2:29 Or, fathered by.
1 John 2
New International Version
1 John 2
New International Version
2 My dear children,(A) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(B) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(C) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(D)
Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers
3 We know(E) that we have come to know him(F) if we keep his commands.(G) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,”(H) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(I) 5 But if anyone obeys his word,(J) love for God[a] is truly made complete in them.(K) This is how we know(L) we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(M)
7 Dear friends,(N) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(O) This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command;(P) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(Q) and the true light(R) is already shining.(S)
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b](T) is still in the darkness.(U) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[c] lives in the light,(V) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(W) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(X) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(Y) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(Z)
Reasons for Writing
12 I am writing to you, dear children,(AA)
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(AB)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.(AC)
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome(AD) the evil one.(AE)
14 I write to you, dear children,(AF)
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.(AG)
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,(AH)
and the word of God(AI) lives in you,(AJ)
and you have overcome the evil one.(AK)
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(AL) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them.(AM) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(AN) the lust of the eyes,(AO) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(AP) but whoever does the will of God(AQ) lives forever.
Warnings Against Denying the Son
18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(AR) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(AS) even now many antichrists have come.(AT) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(AU) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.(AV)
20 But you have an anointing(AW) from the Holy One,(AX) and all of you know the truth.[e](AY) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(AZ) and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.(BA) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(BB)
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning(BC) remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.(BD) 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.(BE)
26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.(BF) 27 As for you, the anointing(BG) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things(BH) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.(BI)
God’s Children and Sin
28 And now, dear children,(BJ) continue in him, so that when he appears(BK) we may be confident(BL) and unashamed before him at his coming.(BM)
29 If you know that he is righteous,(BN) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.(BO)
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
- 1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
- 1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
- 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
- 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things
1 John 2
King James Version
1 John 2
King James Version
2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
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.
29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT) 
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.