1 John 2
New Testament for Everyone
2 My children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone does sin, we have one who pleads our cause before the father—namely, the Righteous One, Jesus the Messiah! 2 He is the sacrifice which atones for our sins—and not ours only, either, but those of the whole world.
God’s new commandment
3 This is how we are sure that we have known him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Anyone who says, “I know him,” but doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar. People like that have no truth in them. 5 But if anyone keeps his word, God’s love is truly made complete in such a person. This is how we are sure that we are in him: 6 anyone who says, “I abide in him,” ought to behave in the same way that he behaved.
7 My beloved ones, I am not writing a new command to you, but an old command which you have had from the very beginning. The old command is the word which you heard. 8 Again, however, I am writing a new command to you: it is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who says, “I am in the light,” while hating another family member, is still in darkness up to this very moment. 10 Anyone who loves another family member abides in the light, and there is no cause of offense in such a person. 11 Anyone who hates another family member is in the darkness, and walks about in the darkness. Such people have no idea where they are going, because the darkness has blinded their eyes.
12 I am writing to you, children,
because your sins are forgiven through his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have known the one who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
14 I have written to you, children,
because you have known the father.
I have written to you, fathers,
because you have known the one who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young people,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have conquered the evil one.
People of the lie
15 Do not love the world, or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the father’s love is not in them. 16 Everything in the world, you see—the greedy desire of the flesh, the greedy desire of the eyes, the pride of life—none of this is from the father. It is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, with all its greedy desires. But anyone who does God’s will abides forever.
18 Children, it is the last hour. You have heard that “Antimessiah” is coming—and now many Antimessiahs have appeared! That’s how we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from among us, but they were not really of our number. If they had been of our number, you see, they would have remained with us. This happened so that it would be made crystal clear that none of them belonged to us. 20 You, however, have the anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I am not writing to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and you know that no liar is of the truth.
22 Who is the liar? Is it not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? Such a one is the Antimessiah—who denies the father and the son. 23 Nobody who denies the son has the father. One who acknowledges the son has the father too. 24 As for you: let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you too will abide in the son and in the father. 25 And this is the promise which he himself promised us: the life of the age to come.
26 I am writing to you about the people who are deceiving you. 27 You have received the anointing from him; it abides in you, and you do not need to have anyone teach you. That anointing from him teaches you about everything; it is true, it isn’t a lie. So, just as he taught you, abide in him.
28 And now, children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have boldness and may not be put to shame before him at his royal appearing. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been fathered by him.
1 John 2
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
2 My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father—[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].
2 And He [[a]that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
3 And this is how we may discern [[b]daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments).
4 Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [[c]of the Gospel] is not in him.
5 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:
6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as [d]a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [the [e]doctrine of salvation through Christ].
8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness ([f]moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light ([g]the revelation of God in Christ) is already shining.
9 Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, [h]born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now.
10 Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin.
11 But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [[i]in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I am writing to you, little children, because for His name’s sake your sins are forgiven [pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name].
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be aware of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]. I write to you, [j]boys (lads), because you have come to know (recognize and be aware) of the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the Word of God is [always] abiding in you (in your hearts), and you have been victorious over the wicked one.
15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.
18 [k]Boys (lads), it is the last time (hour, the end of this age). And as you have heard that the antichrist [he who will oppose Christ in the guise of Christ] is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, which confirms our belief that it is the final (the end) time.
19 They went out from our number, but they did not [really] belong to us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But [they withdrew] that it might be plain that they all are not of us.
20 But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.
21 I write to you not because you are ignorant and do not perceive and know the Truth, but because you do perceive and know it, and [know positively] that nothing false (no deception, no lie) is of the Truth.
22 Who is [such a] liar as he who denies that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah)? He is the antichrist (the antagonist of Christ), who [[l]habitually] denies and refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.
23 No one who [[m]habitually] denies (disowns) the Son [n]even has the Father. Whoever confesses (acknowledges and has) the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, keep in your hearts what you have heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the first dwells and remains in you, then you will dwell in the Son and in the Father [always].
25 And this is what He Himself has promised us—the life, the eternal [life].
26 I write this to you with reference to those who would deceive you [seduce and lead you astray].
27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [[o]permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being [p]rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].
28 And now, little children, abide (live, remain [q]permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.
29 If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father’s will in purpose, thought, and action], you may also know (be sure) that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [[r]God].
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:2 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:3 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:4 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
- 1 John 2:6 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:7 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
- 1 John 2:8 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:8 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:9 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
- 1 John 2:11 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
- 1 John 2:13 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
- 1 John 2:18 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
- 1 John 2:22 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- 1 John 2:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- 1 John 2:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- 1 John 2:28 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- 1 John 2:29 Brooke F. Westcott, The Epistles of Saint John: When John thinks of God in relation to men, he never thinks of Him apart from Christ.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
