7Beloved, it is not a new commandment I am writing to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard. [2:8] Again, it is a new commandment I am writing to you — which is true in him and in you — because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. [2:9] The one who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness until now. [2:10] The one who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. [2:11] But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. [2:12] Little children, I write to you because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. [2:13] Fathers, I write to you because you have known the one who is from the beginning. Young men, I write to you because you have overcome the evil one. [2:14] Little children, I wrote to you because you have known the Father. Fathers, I wrote to you because you have known the one who is from the beginning. Young men, I wrote to you because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1JN 2:7-14
A New Commandment
In the world it was spoken into
In the Greco-Roman world, 'commandments' were often associated with authoritative teachings, whether from philosophers, religious leaders, or civic codes. The author contrasts a 'new' commandment with an 'old' one, emphasizing qualitative newness rather than mere chronological novelty. The 'old' commandment likely refers to the teachings of Jesus, which the audience had known from the beginning of their faith. The 'new' commandment, rooted in the truth of Christ, reflects the transformative reality of light overcoming darkness, a metaphor familiar in both Jewish and Hellenistic thought for moral and spiritual clarity. The author warns against claiming to be in the light while hating a brother, as such behavior aligns with darkness. In the honor-shame culture of the 1st century, love for one’s brother was a public marker of communal integrity, while hatred was a 'stumbling block' , a trap that disrupted unity and moral witness. The intimate address 'little children' underscores the familial bond within the community.
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How other translations render this
1JN 2:7
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard.
- Koinōnos
- Beloved, it is not a new commandment I am writing to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard.
1JN 2:8
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.
- Koinōnos
- Again, it is a new commandment I am writing to you — which is true in him and in you — because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
1JN 2:9
- KJV
- He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
- BSB
- If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.
- Koinōnos
- The one who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness until now.
1JN 2:10
- KJV
- He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
- BSB
- Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.
- Koinōnos
- The one who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1JN 2:11
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
- Koinōnos
- But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1JN 2:12
- KJV
- I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
- BSB
- I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven through His name.
- Koinōnos
- Little children, I write to you because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
1JN 2:13
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
- Koinōnos
- Fathers, I write to you because you have known the one who is from the beginning. Young men, I write to you because you have overcome the evil one.
1JN 2:14
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
- Koinōnos
- Little children, I wrote to you because you have known the Father. Fathers, I wrote to you because you have known the one who is from the beginning. Young men, I wrote to you because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
1JN 2:7
- new:The word translated 'new' here implies something fresh and unprecedented, not merely recent in time, but of a different, superior quality.
1JN 2:10
- cause for stumbling:The phrase 'cause for stumbling' refers to a trap or snare, originally for animals, that causes one to trip or fall, leading to ruin or sin.
1JN 2:12
- little children,:The term 'little children' is an affectionate diminutive, conveying tenderness and intimacy, often used by a teacher or elder addressing disciples.
1JN 2:13
- you have known:The word translated 'you have known' implies a deep, experiential, and relational knowledge, not just intellectual understanding or acquaintance with facts.