1 John 2
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
1 John chapter 2 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
37 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 2 Fathers — Saint Augustine and Saint Augustine of Hippo.
1 John 2
1My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if someone should sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.Τεκνία μου, ταῦτα γράφω ὑμῖν ἵνα μὴ ἁμάρτητε. καὶ ἐάν τις ἁμάρτῃ, παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δίκαιον.
2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only concerning ours, but also concerning those of the whole world.καὶ αὐτὸς ἱλασμός ἐστι περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου.
3Now by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.καὶ ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτόν, ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν.
4He who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.ὁ λέγων, Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστί, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν·
5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.ὃς δ᾽ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται. ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν,
6He who claims to abide in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.ὁ λέγων ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν ὀφείλει καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησε καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτω περιπατεῖν.
7Brothers, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.Ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐντολὴν παλαιάν, ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς.
8Again, a new commandment I am writing to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines.πάλιν ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει.
9He who says that he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now.ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι.
10He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει, καὶ σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν.
11But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.ὁ δὲ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ, καὶ οὐκ οἶδε ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.
12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name.Γράφω ὑμῖν, τεκνία, ὅτι ἀφέωνται ὑμῖν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.
13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I am writing to you, little children, because you have come to know the Father.γράφω ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς. γράφω ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν. γράφω ὑμῖν, παιδία, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν πατέρα.
14I wrote to you, fathers, because you have come to know Him who is from the beginning. I wrote to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς. ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι ἰσχυροί ἐστε καὶ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν μένει καὶ νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.
15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ·
16Because everything that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ—ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἡ ἀλαζονεία τοῦ βίου—οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐστί.
17And the world is passing away, and its lust; but he who does the will of God abides forever.καὶ ὁ κόσμος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
18Little children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.Παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστί, καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ὅτι ὁ ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν, ὅθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν.
19They went out from us, but they were not of 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 manifest, that none of them were of us.ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν—ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶ πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν.
20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.καὶ ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ οἴδατε πάντα.
21I did not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν, καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστι.
22Who is a liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος, ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱόν.
23Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either.πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει.
24Therefore let that which you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.ὑμεῖς οὖν ὃ ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἐν ὑμῖν μενέτω. ἐὰν ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ ὃ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἠκούσατε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ υἱῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ μενεῖτε.
25And this is the promise which He Himself promised to you—eternal life.καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον.
26These things I wrote to you concerning those who deceive you.Ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν περὶ τῶν πλανώντων ὑμᾶς.
27And as for you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you about all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ χρῖσμα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν μένει, καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ἵνα τις διδάσκῃ ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τὸ αὐτὸ χρῖσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων, καὶ ἀληθές ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ψεῦδος, καὶ καθὼς ἐδίδαξεν ὑμᾶς, μενεῖτε ἐν αὐτῷ.
28And now, little children, abide in Him, in order that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.Καὶ νῦν, τεκνία, μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ, ἵνα ὅταν φανερωθῇ ἔχωμεν παρρησίαν καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ὅτι δίκαιός ἐστι, γινώσκετε ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται.
The Fathers on 1 John 2
Saint Augustine and Saint Augustine of Hippo comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On 1 John 2:15Saint AugustineHard and grievous does that appear which the Lord hath enjoined, that “whosoever will come after Him, must deny himself.” But what He enjoineth is not hard or grievous, who aideth us that what He enjoineth may be done.
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On 1 John 2:15Saint Augustine of HippoAll these things, my brethren — “because we have known That which is from the beginning, because we are strong, because we have known the Father,”— do all these, while they in a manner commend knowledge, not commend charity? If we have known, let us love: for knowledge without charity saves not. “Knowledge puffs up,...
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On 1 John 2:15Saint Augustine of HippoYou have heard that “if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Let not any say in his heart that this is false, brethren: God says it; by the Apostle the Holy Ghost has spoken; nothing more true: “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Would you have the Father's...
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On 1 John 2:15–17Saint Augustine of HippoThese three there are, and you can find nothing whereby human cupidity can be tempted, but either by the lust of the flesh, or the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. By these three was the Lord tempted of the devil. Matthew 4:1-10 By the lust of the flesh He was tempted when it was said to Him, “If you be the Son...
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On 1 John 2:1Saint Augustine of HippoAnd lest haply he should seem to have given impunity for sins, in that he said, “He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all iniquity;” and men henceforth should say to themselves, Let us sin, let us do securely what we will, Christ purges us, is faithful and just, purges us from all iniquity: He takes from you an...
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On 1 John 2:1Saint Augustine of HippoSee John himself observing humility. Assuredly he was a righteous and a great man, who from the Lord's bosom drank in the secrets of His mysteries; he, the man who by drinking from the Lord's bosom indited of His Godhead, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God:” he, being such a man as this, says...
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On 1 John 2:3–4Saint Augustine of Hippo“And in this,” says he, “we do know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3-4 What commandments? “He that says, I know Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” But still you ask, What commandments? “But whoever,” says he, “keeps His word, in him verily is the love of God...
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On 1 John 2:7Saint Augustine of Hippo“Dearly beloved, I write unto you no new commandment, but the old commandment which you had from the beginning.” 1 John 2:7 What commandment calls he “old? Which you had,” says he, “from the beginning. Old” then, in this regard, that you have already heard it: otherwise he will contradict the Lord, where He says, “A...
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On 1 John 2:9Saint Augustine of Hippo“He that says he is in the light” — now he is making all clear that he has been saying — “he that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.” 1 John 2:9 What! My brethren, how long shall we say to you, “Love your enemies”? Matthew 5:44 See whether, what is worse, you do not hate...
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On 1 John 2:10Saint Augustine of Hippo“He that loves his brother abides (manet) in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” 1 John 2:10 — I beseech you by Christ: God is feeding us, we are about to refresh our bodies in the name of Christ; they both are in some good measure refreshed, and are to be refreshed: let the mind be fed. Not...
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On 1 John 2:11Saint Augustine of Hippo“For he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes.” 1 John 2:11 A great thing, my brethren: mark it, we beseech you. “He that hates his brother walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” What so blind as these who hate...
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On 1 John 2:11Saint Augustine of HippoThis, if you remember, we gave you to understand in beginning to read this Epistle, that nothing in it is so commended as charity. Even if it seems to speak of various other things, to this it makes its way back, and whatever it says, it will needs bring all to bear upon charity. Let us see whether it does so here....
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On 1 John 2:12Saint Augustine of HippoAll things that are read from the Holy Scriptures in order to our instruction and salvation, it behooves us to hear with earnest heed. Yet most of all must those things be commended to our memory, which are of most force against heretics; whose insidious designs cease not to circumvent all that are weaker and more...
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On 1 John 2:12Saint Augustine of HippoWhen we say to them, If you be Catholic Christians, communicate with that Church from which the Gospel is spread abroad over the whole earth: communicate with that Jerusalem: when this we say to them, they make answer to us, we do not communicate with that city where our King was slain, where our Lord was slain: as...
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On 1 John 2:13Saint Augustine of Hippo“I write unto you, fathers.” 1 John 2:13 Why first sons? “Because your sins are forgiven you through His name,” and you are regenerated into a new life, therefore sons. Why fathers? “Because you have known Him that is from the beginning:” for the beginning has relation unto fatherhood. Christ new in flesh, but ancient...
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On 1 John 2:13Saint Augustine of Hippo“I write unto you, young men.” There are sons, are fathers, are young men: sons, because begotten; fathers, because they acknowledge the Beginning; why young men? “Because you have overcome the wicked one.” In the sons, birth: in the fathers, antiquity: in the young men, strength. If the wicked one is “overcome” by...
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On 1 John 2:13Saint Augustine of Hippo“I write unto you, children.” 1 John ii.13 Whence children? “Because you have known the Father. I write unto you fathers:” he enforces this, and repeats, “Because you have known Him that is from the beginning.” Remember that you are fathers: if you forget “Him that is from the beginning,” you have lost your...
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On 1 John 2:16–17Saint Augustine of Hippo“For all that is in the world, is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” 1 John 2:16-17 three things he has said, which are not of the Father, but are of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides for ever, even as He abides...
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On 1 John 2:16–17Saint Augustine of HippoBut let us “not love the world, neither the things that are in the world. For the things that are in the world, are the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” These three are they: lest haply any man say, “The things that are in the world, God made: i.e. heaven and earth, the sea: the...
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On 1 John 2:16–17Saint Augustine of HippoFor “the world” is the appellation given not only to this fabric which God made heaven and earth, the sea, things visible and invisible: but the inhabitants of the world are called the world, just as we call a “house” both the walls and them that inhabit therein. And sometimes we praise a house, and find fault with...
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On 1 John 2:16–17Saint Augustine of Hippo“And the lust of the eyes:” by “the lust of the eyes,” he means all curiosity. Now how wide is the scope of curiosity! This it is that works in spectacles, in theatres, in sacraments of the devil, in magical arts, in dealings with darkness: none other than curiosity. Sometimes it tempts even the servants of God, so...
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On 1 John 2:18Saint Augustine of Hippo“Children, it is the last hour.” In this lesson he addresses the children that they may make haste to grow, because “it is the last hour.” Age or stature of the body is not at one's own will. A man does not grow in respect of the flesh when he will, any more than he is born when he will: but where the being born rests...
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On 1 John 2:18Saint Augustine of HippoTherefore it was that He forbade Mary to touch Him, and said to her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto the Father.” What is this? He gave Himself to be handled by the disciples, and did He shun Mary's touch? Is not He the same that said to the doubting disciple, “Reach hither your fingers, and feel the...
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On 1 John 2:18Saint Augustine of HippoBut lest any be sluggish to go forward, let him hear: “Children, it is the last hour.” Go forward, run, grow; “it is the last hour.” This same last hour is long; yet it is the last. For he has put “hour” for “the last time;” because it is in the last times that our Lord Jesus Christ is to come. But some will say, How...
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On 1 John 2:18Saint Augustine of HippoWhom has he called antichrists? He goes on and expounds. “Whereby we know that it is the last hour.” By what? Because “many antichrists have come. They went out from us;” see the antichrists! “They went out from us:” therefore we bewail the loss. Hear the consolation. “But they were not of us.” All heretics, all...
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On 1 John 2:18Saint Augustine of Hippo“They went out from us; but,” be not sad, “they were not of us.” How do you prove this? If they had been of us, they would doubtless have continued with us. Hence therefore you may see, that many who are not of us, receive with us the Sacraments, receive with us baptism. receive with us what the faithful know they...
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On 1 John 2:21Saint Augustine of Hippo“I write unto you not because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” 1 John 2:21 Behold, we are admonished how we may know antichrist. What is Christ? Truth. Himself has said “I am the Truth.” John 14:6 But “no lie is of the truth.” Consequently, all who lie are not yet of...
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On 1 John 2:22Saint Augustine of HippoFor hear and see. Certainly all who go out from the Church, and are cut off from the unity of the Church, are antichrists; let no man doubt it: for the apostle himself has marked them, “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.” Therefore,...
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On 1 John 2:19Saint Augustine of HippoBut let us not be made sad: “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.” 1 John 2:19 If then they went out from us, they are antichrists; if they are antichrists, they are liars; if they are liars, they deny that Jesus is the Christ. Once...
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On 1 John 2:19Saint Augustine of HippoNow therefore, brethren, if deeds are to be questioned, not only do we find many antichrists gone out; but many not yet maninfest, who have not gone out at all. For as many as the Church has within it that are perjured, defrauders, addicted to black arts, consulters of fortune-tellers, adulterers, drunkards, usurers,...
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On 1 John 2:19Saint Augustine of HippoThese things are now manifest, my brethren. Let no man say, I do not worship Christ, but I worship God His Father. “Every one that denies the Son, has neither the Son nor the Father; and he that confesses the Son, has both the Son and the Father.” He speaks to you that are grain: and let those who were chaff, hear,...
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On 1 John 2:24–25Saint Augustine of Hippo“Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall abide in you, you also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us.” 1 John 2:24-25 For haply you might ask about the wages, and say, Behold,...
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On 1 John 2:25–26Saint Augustine of HippoRemember then, my brethren, that Christ has promised us eternal life: “This,” says he, “is the promise which He has promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written to you concerning them which seduce you.” 1 John 2:25-26 Let none seduce you unto death: desire the promise of eternal life. What can the world...
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On 1 John 2:27Saint Augustine of Hippo“And you have no need that any man teach you, because His unction teaches you concerning all things.” 1 John 2:27 Then to what purpose is it that “we,” my brethren, teach you? If “His unction teaches you concerning all things,” it seems we labor without a cause. And what mean we, to cry out as we do? Let us leave you...
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On 1 John 2:27Saint Augustine of HippoYou remember, brethren, that yesterday's lesson was brought to a close at this point, that “you have no need that any man teach you, but the unction itself teaches you concerning all things.” Now this, as I am sure ye remember, we so expounded to you, that we who from without speak to your ears, are as workmen...
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On 1 John 2:29Saint Augustine of Hippo“If you know that He is righteous, know ye that every one that does righteousness is born of Him.” 1 John 2:29 The righteousness which at present is ours is of faith. Perfect righteousness is not, save only in the angels: and scarce in angels, if they be compared with God: yet if there be any perfect righteousness of...
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On 1 John 2:2Open 1 John 2 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint Augustine of Hippo“Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate us.” Must one often be telling you what “the world” means? Not the heaven, not the earth, nor these visible works which God made; but lovers of the world. By often saying these things, to some I am burdensome: but I am so far from saying it without a cause, that some may be...
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