1 John

1 John front

Introduction to 1 John

Part 1: General Introduction

Outline of the book of 1 John

This is a letter that the apostle John wrote to challenge and correct false teachings that were leading followers of Jesus to believe wrong things and live in wrong ways. At that time, the letter form had distinct opening and closing sections. The main body of the letter came in between. 1. Opening of Letter (1:1-4) 1. Main Body of Letter (1:5–5:12) * Genuine believers obey God and love one another (1:5–2:17) * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Messiah (2:18–2:27) * Genuine children of God do not sin (2:28–3:10) * Genuine believers help one another sacrificially (3:11–18) * Genuine believers have confidence in prayer (3:19–24) * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus became human (4:1–6) * Genuine believers love one another as God has loved them (4:7–21) * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Son of God (5:1–12) 1. Closing of Letter (5:13-21)

Who wrote the book of 1 John?

The author of this letter does not give his name. However, since early Christian times, the church has widely considered the apostle John to be the author. He wrote the Gospel of John, and there are many similarities between the content of that book and this letter. If John did write this letter, he probably did so near the end of his life.

To whom was the book of 1 John written?

The author wrote this letter to people whom he addresses as “beloved” and, figuratively, as “my little children.” This probably refers to believers in various churches located in the area where John was then living.

What is the book of 1 John about?

False teachers were encouraging followers of Jesus to believe wrong things and to live in wrong ways. John wanted to challenge and correct those false teachings so that the people who received his letter would continue to believe the truth that they had been taught and live in right ways. The false teachers were saying that these people were not saved; John wanted to assure them that they were saved.

How should the title of this book be translated?

Translators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, “1 John” or “First John.” They may also choose a different title, such as “The First Letter from John” or “The First Letter John Wrote.” (See: How to Translate Names)

Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts

Who were the people whom John spoke against?

The false teachers whom John was challenging seem to have held beliefs similar to what would later become known as Gnosticism. Those false teachers believed that the physical world was evil. They thought that God would not become human, since they considered the physical body to be evil, so they denied that Jesus was God come to earth in human form. (See: evil, wicked, unpleasant)

Part 3: Important Translation Issues

“sin”

In chapter 1, John says that we should not deny that we have sinned. Rather, if we confess our sin, God will forgive us. In chapter 2, John says that he is writing this letter so that the recipients will not sin, but he adds that if they do sin, Jesus will advocate on their behalf. But in chapter 3, John says that everyone who has been begotten from God and who remains in God does not commit sin and is not able to sin. And in chapter 5, John says that we should not pray for people who are sinning in certain ways, although we should pray for people who are sinning in other ways. This may seem confusing and contradictory.

However, the explanation is that the people whose teachings John challenged and corrected in this letter were saying that it did not matter what people did in their bodies. This was because they thought that physical matter was evil, and so they thought that God did not care about it. In effect, they were saying that there was no such thing as sin. So John needed to say, in chapter 1, that sin is real and that everyone has sinned. Some of the believers may have been deceived by the false teaching and committed sins, so John also needed to reassure them that if they repented and confessed their sins, God would forgive them. John says similar things in chapter 2. Then in chapter 3 he explains that the new nature that believers have as children of God is one that does not want to sin and that does not enjoy sinning. So they should recognize that those who excuse or condone sin are not truly children of God, and that as children of God themselves, they can become more and more obedient and free from sin. Finally, in chapter 5, John warns that if a person sins wantonly and continually, this likely means that they have rejected Jesus and are not influenced by the Holy Spirit. He says that in that case, it may not be effective to pray for them. But he then encourages his readers that if a person sins occasionally but feels remorse, he is influenced by the Spirit, and so the prayers of other believers will help him repent and live in a right way again. (See: sin, sinful, sinner, sinning and faith and forgive, forgiven, forgiveness, pardon, pardoned)

“remain”

In this letter, John often uses the word “remain” (which could also be translated as “reside” or “abide”) as a spatial metaphor. John speaks of a believer becoming more faithful to Jesus and knowing Jesus better as if the teaching of Jesus “remained” in the believer. He speaks of a person being spiritually joined to someone else as if that person “remained” in the other person: He writes that Christians “remain” in Christ and in God, and he says that the Father “remains” in the Son, the Son “remains” in the Father, the Son “remains” in believers, and the Holy Spirit “remains” in believers.

Translators may find it difficult to represent these ideas in their own languages if they try to use exactly the same words and expressions each time. For example, in 2:6, when John speaks of a believer “remaining” in God, he intends to express the idea of that believer being spiritually unified with God. Accordingly, UST speaks of how the believer “shares life with God.” To give another example, for the statement in 2:14 that “the word of God remains in you,” UST says, “you continue to obey what God commands.” This shows how other expressions can be found that accurately communicate the various ideas that John is expressing through the term “remain.”

“appear”

In several places in this letter, John uses a term that ULT usually translates as “appear.” This is actually a passive verbal form in Greek, but as is often the case with such forms in that language, it can have an active meaning. When it has an active meaning, it is important to recognize that it does not simply mean “seemed to be there,” as the word “appeared” might suggest. Rather, it means “came to be there.” This is illustrated well by the use of the term in another New Testament book, 2 Corinthians, in which Paul writes in 5:10 that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Clearly this does not mean that we must only seem to be present there. Rather, we must actually arrive there.

Throughout the epistle, it is a subtle matter of interpretation to decide whether John is using the term “appear” in an active sense or in a passive sense. For example, in 1:2, John applies the term twice to the “Word of life,” that is, to Jesus. But it is not clear whether he is saying that Jesus himself “appeared,” that is, he came to earth, or that he “was made apparent” (made visible), with the emphasis on the idea that God revealed Jesus to the world and in the process revealed himself to the world through Jesus. At each place where John uses this term, notes will call attention to it and discuss what it likely means in that context.

“the world”

John also uses the term “world” in a variety of senses in this letter. It can mean the earth, something material, the people who live in the world, the people who do not honor God, or the values of the people who do not honor God. Notes will address the meaning of the term “world” in each instance where John uses it.

“to know”

The verb “to know” is used in two different ways in this letter. Sometimes it is used about knowing a fact, as in 3:2, 3:5, and 3:19. Sometimes it means to experience and understand someone or something, as in 3:1, 3:6, 3:16, and 3:20. Sometimes John uses it in two different senses in the same sentence, as in 2:3, “in this we know that we have known him.” Your language may have different words for these different meanings. If so, you must be careful to use the appropriate word in the right place in your translation.

“We”

In most cases in this letter, the first-person plural pronouns (“we, our,” etc.) are inclusive, and so if your language marks that distinction, use the inclusive form in your translation. In those cases, John is speaking of what both he and the recipients know, or of things that are true of both him and the recipients. However, in a few cases, the first-person pronouns are exclusive, since John is telling the recipients what he and his fellow apostles saw and heard from Jesus. The notes will identify all such places, and in them you should use the exclusive forms, if your language marks that distinction. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

“You, your”

The words “you” and “your” in this letter are plural.

Light and darkness

In 1:5-7 and 2:8-11 John uses an extended metaphor in which light represents what is good or holy and darkness represents what is evil. If this is not easily understood in your language, you may need to say explicitly that light represents goodness or that light is like goodness, or you may choose to talk about goodness without using the symbol of light. There will be a note explaining the metaphor in each place. (See: Biblical Imagery — Extended Metaphors)

Major textual issues in the text of the book of 1 John

When ancient manuscripts of the Bible differ, ULT puts the reading that scholars consider to be the most accurate in its text, but it puts other possibly accurate readings in footnotes. The introductions to each chapter will discuss places where the ancient manuscripts differ in significant ways, and notes will address those places again where they occur in the book. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using the readings found in that version. If not, we recommend that you follow the readings in the ULT text. (See: Textual Variants)

1 John 1

1 John 1 General Notes

Structure and formatting

1. Opening of the letter (1:1-4)
2. Genuine believers obey God and love one another (1:5–10, continues through 2:17)

Important translation issues in this chapter

Like many Greek compositions of this time, for stylistic purposes this letter begins with a very long sentence. It goes from the beginning of 1:1 to the middle of 1:3. The parts of this sentence are not in the order that is customary in many languages. The direct object comes first, and it is very long, made up of many different clauses. The subject and verb do not come until near the end. And in the middle, there is a long digression. So it will be a challenge to translate.

One approach that might work well in your language would be to create a verse bridge that includes all of 1:1–3. You could break up this long sentence into several smaller sentences, repeating the subject and verb for clarity. This would allow you to present the parts of the sentence in an order that might be more customary in your language and that your readers might understand better. Here is an example of 1 John 1:1-3 rearranged into an order that might be clearer in your language:

“So that you will have fellowship with us, we are declaring to you what we have seen and heard. We are declaring to you what was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched. It has to do with the Word of life. Indeed, the life appeared, and we have seen it, and we are testifying to it. Yes, we are announcing to you the eternal life that was with the Father and that then came to us.”

If you take this approach, another way to translate the second sentence would be, “We are declaring to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched.”

Another approach that could also work well, and which would not require a verse bridge, would be to leave the phrases in their present order, but to divide the sentence into three parts at the verse divisions. If you do that, you could also put your translation of the phrase “regarding the Word of life” at the beginning rather than the end of 1:1 and present it as a topical introduction to the letter. Otherwise, your readers might not get the sense that this is a letter until they reached 1:4, where John formally states his purpose for writing.

The notes to 1:1–4 provide further specific suggestions for how to translate this long opening sentence. (See: Verse Bridges)

Important textual issues in this chapter

In 1:4, the most accurate ancient manuscripts read “so that our joy may be fulfilled.” ULT follows that reading. However, some other ancient manuscripts read “your joy” instead of “our joy.” If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: Textual Variants)

1 John 1:1

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 1. Suggested heading: “The Word of Life” (See: Section Headings)

ὃ ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ὃ ἀκηκόαμεν, ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν, περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς—

See the discussion in the General Notes to this chapter for how to translate the long sentence in 1:1–3. If you follow the suggestion to translate the phrase regarding the Word of life as a topical introduction to this letter, you will already have indicated that the four clauses in this verse refer to a person, Jesus. If you have pronouns in your language that refer to people, such as “he,” “who,” and “whom,” it would be appropriate to use them here. Alternate translation: “Regarding the Word of life—he is the one who has existed from all eternity, whom we heard speak, whom we saw with our own eyes, and whom we looked at and touched with our own hands” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the fact that Jesus has always existed. Alternate translation: “from all eternity” (See: Idiom)

ἀκηκόαμεν…ἑωράκαμεν…ἡμῶν…ἐθεασάμεθα…ἡμῶν

Here the pronouns we and our are exclusive, since John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus, but the people to whom he is writing did not see Jesus. So use exclusive forms here, if your language marks that distinction. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

ἀκηκόαμεν

The implication is that what John and the other eyewitnesses heard was Jesus speaking. If your readers would misunderstand this, you can include this information, as in the UST. Alternate translation: “we heard speak” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα

These two phrases mean the same thing. John is likely using the repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this, you could combine these phrases and show the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “whom we saw clearly ourselves” (See: Parallelism)

ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν…καὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν

In your language, it might seem that these phrases express unnecessary extra information. If so, you could abbreviate them. However, your language may have its own way of using such extra information for emphasis, and you could also do that in your translation. Alternate translation: “we saw … and touched” or “we saw with our own eyes … and touched with our own hands” (See: Making Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information Explicit)

ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν…αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν

The false teachers were denying that Jesus was a real human being and saying that he was only a spirit. But the implications of what John is saying here are that Jesus was a real human being. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly, as in the UST. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς

As the General Notes to this chapter suggest, you could put your translation of this phrase, regarding the Word of life, at the beginning of this verse and present it as a sentence of its own as a topical introduction to the letter, as UST does. Alternate translation: “We are writing to you about Jesus, the Word of life”

περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς

Letter writers of this time typically began by giving their own names. That is the case for most of the letters in the New Testament. This letter is an exception, but if it would be helpful to your readers, you could supply John’s name here, as UST does. As noted above, John uses the plural pronoun “we” because he is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to Jesus’ earthly life. But it may be more natural in your language for him to refer to himself with a singular pronoun, and if so, you could do that in your translation. Alternate translation: “I, John, am writing to you about Jesus, the Word of life” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς

Here, the Word of life is implicitly a description of Jesus. As the General Introduction explains, there are many similarities between this letter and the Gospel of John. That gospel begins by saying about Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word.” So it is likely that when John speaks in this letter of the Word of life that “was from the beginning,” he is also speaking about Jesus. ULT indicates this by capitalizing Word to indicate that this is a title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus, the Word of God, who gives life” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τῆς ζωῆς

This could be referring either to the life that Jesus has or to the life that Jesus gives. But since John is writing this letter to reassure believers, it seems more likely that this expression is referring to the life that “the Word” (Jesus) gives to those who believe. Alternate translation: “who gives life to everyone who believes in him” (See: Possession)

τῆς ζωῆς

In this letter, John uses life in different ways, either to refer literally to physical life or figuratively to spiritual life. Here the reference is to spiritual life. Alternate translation: “of spiritual life” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 1:2

καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἐφανερώθη

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the term could mean one of two things. (1) John could be emphasizing how Jesus came to this earth. (UST brings this out by saying “he came here to the earth.”) In that case, this would be a situation in which a Greek passive verbal form has an active meaning. As the General Notes to this chapter suggest, it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Indeed, the life came right here” (2) John could be emphasizing how God revealed Jesus to the world and thereby revealed himself to the world through Jesus. To bring out that emphasis, you could translate this with a passive verbal form or, if your language does not use passive forms, you could use an active form and say who did the action. Alternate translation: “Indeed, the life was made visible” or “Indeed, God made the life visible” (See: Active or Passive)

ἡ ζωὴ

John is speaking figuratively of Jesus, whom he calls the “Word of life” in the previous verse, by referring to the life that is associated with him. In this case it seems to describe the life that Jesus embodies rather than the life that he gives. Alternate translation: “Jesus” or “Jesus, who is life” (See: Metonymy)

ἑωράκαμεν…μαρτυροῦμεν…ἀπαγγέλλομεν…ἡμῖν

John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus, so the pronouns we and us are exclusive in this verse. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

ὑμῖν

As the General Introduction explains, John is writing this letter to believers in various churches, and so the pronouns you, “your,” and “yourselves” are plural throughout the entire letter. (See: Forms of You)

ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν,

If you decided to use personal pronouns in 1:1, you could use them in these cases as well. Alternate translation: “we have seen him, and we are testifying that we saw him” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way, as UST does. Alternate translation: “we are enthusiastically telling you about” (See: Parallelism)

τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον

As earlier in the verse, John is speaking figuratively of Jesus by referring to the life that is associated with him. Alternate translation: “Jesus, who is eternal life” or “Jesus, who has always been alive” (See: Metonymy)

τὸν Πατέρα

The title the Father is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

καὶ ἐφανερώθη ἡμῖν

See how you translated appeared earlier in this verse. Alternate translation: “and came right to us” or “and was made visible to us” or “and whom God made visible to us” (See: Active or Passive)

1 John 1:3

ὃ ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν καὶ ὑμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ’ ἡμῶν

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could rearrange the parts of this section. You could move the clause beginning with so you also to the beginning of the verse, since that clause gives the reason for the action that the rest of the verse describes. For clarity, you could also place the direct-object clause what we have seen and heard after the subject and verb we declare … to you. In that case, you would not need to translate also after declare. As the General Notes to this chapter suggest, it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “So that you also may have fellowship with us, we are declaring to you what we have seen and heard” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ὃ ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν

John is referring implicitly to the way that he and the other eyewitnesses had seen and heard Jesus when he was alive on earth. If your readers would misunderstand this, you can include this information, as in the UST. Alternate translation: “what we saw and heard of Jesus when he was alive on earth” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν…ἡμῶν

John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus, so the pronouns we and us are exclusive. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ’ ἡμῶν…ἡ κοινωνία…ἡ ἡμετέρα μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun fellowship, you could express the idea behind it with a concrete noun such as “friends” and an adjective such as “close.” Alternate translation: “so that you can be close friends with us … we are all close friends with God the Father and with his Son Jesus” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ἡ κοινωνία…ἡ ἡμετέρα

The word our here is likely inclusive, since John is writing to fellow believers. So if your language marks that distinction, you should translate the term as inclusive. Even if your language does not mark that distinction, you can indicate in your translation that the term applies both to John and to the people he is writing to. Alternate translation: “we are all close friends” (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

τοῦ Πατρὸς…τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

These are important titles. Alternate translation: “God the Father … his Son” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 1:4

ταῦτα γράφομεν ἡμεῖς

As the General Notes to this chapter explain, here John is formally stating his purpose for writing. If you decided in 1:1 that it would be more natural in your language for him to refer to himself with a singular pronoun in such a context, you could do the same thing here. Alternate translation: “I, John, am writing these things” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἡμεῖς…ἡμῶν

If you use the plural pronoun we here, it would be exclusive, since John is speaking of himself and the other eyewitnesses on whose behalf he is writing. However, the term our in the second clause is likely inclusive, since John probably means that he wants both himself and his readers to have joy in the shared fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son that he describes in the previous verse. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν

See the discussion of textual issues at the end of the General Notes to this chapter to decide whether to follow the reading of ULT and say our joy or to follow the reading of some other versions and say “your joy.” (See: Textual Variants)

ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν

If you follow the variant reading “your joy” here instead of our joy, the word “your” would be plural, as in the rest of this letter, since it would refer to a group of believers. (See: Forms of You)

ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun joy, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “happy.” Alternate translation: “so that we will be completely happy” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “so that we will be completely happy” (See: Active or Passive)

ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη

The implications are that John and his readers will be completely happy together if his readers recognize the truth of what he is writing to them about. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly, as UST does. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 1:5

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 5. Suggested heading: “Sin Prevents Fellowship with God” (See: Section Headings)

ἀκηκόαμεν

The pronoun we is exclusive, since John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

The pronoun him in this first instance in the verse refers to Jesus, since John is speaking of the message that he and the other eyewitnesses heard from Jesus. Alternate translation: “from Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὁ Θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν, καὶ σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “God is entirely light” or, if you represent these metaphors non-figuratively (see next two notes), “God is completely holy” (See: Parallelism)

ὁ Θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν

John often uses light figuratively in this letter to mean what is holy, right, and good. Here, in reference to God, it indicates holiness. Alternate translation: “God is holy” (See: Metaphor)

σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία

John often uses the word darkness figuratively in this letter to mean what is evil. Alternate translation: “God is not evil at all” (See: Metaphor)

σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία

John is using a double negative in Greek for emphasis. In English it would come out as, “darkness is not in him not at all.” In Greek the second negative does not cancel the first negative to create a positive meaning. In English the meaning would inaccurately be positive, which is why ULT uses only one negative and says “darkness is not in him at all.” But if your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction in your translation. (See: Double Negatives)

ἐν αὐτῷ

In this second instance in the verse, the pronoun him refers to God. Alternate translation: “in God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 1:6

ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν, ψευδόμεθα καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν

John is using a hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the importance of consistency between their words and their actions. Alternate translation: “Suppose we say that we have fellowship with him, but we walk in darkness. Then we are lying and are not doing the truth” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ αὐτοῦ

If your language does not use abstract nouns, see how you expressed the idea behind the abstract noun fellowship in 1:3. Alternate translation: “If we say that we are close friends with God” (See: Abstract Nouns)

μετ’ αὐτοῦ

The pronoun him here refers to God, the antecedent from the previous verse. Alternate translation: “with God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

καὶ

John is using the word and here to introduce a contrast between what would be expected of a person who claims to have fellowship with God and what such a person might do instead. Alternate translation: “but” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν

John is using the word walk figuratively to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “do what is evil” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν

As in 1:5, John is using the word darkness figuratively to mean evil. Alternate translation: “do what is evil” (See: Metaphor)

ψευδόμεθα καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “we are really not truthful at all” (See: Parallelism)

οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun truth, you could express the idea behind it with the concrete noun “message” from the previous verse, since that seems to be what John means by the truth in this case. Alternate translation: “we are not living according to God’s true message” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 1:7

ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν, ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί, κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ ἀλλήλων

John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the value and benefits of living a life that is holy, as God is holy. Alternate translation: “But suppose we walk in the light as he is in the light. Then we have fellowship with one another” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν

John is using the word walk figuratively to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “we do what is right” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν

As in 1:5, John is using the word light figuratively to mean what is holy, right, and good. Alternate translation: “we do what is holy” or “we do what is right” (See: Metaphor)

ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί

Here the pronoun he refers to God. Alternate translation: “as God is in the light” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί

John is using the word light figuratively to mean what is holy. Alternate translation: “as God is holy” (See: Metaphor)

κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ ἀλλήλων

If your language does not use abstract nouns, see how you expressed the idea behind the abstract noun fellowship in 1:3. Alternate translation: “then we are close friends with one another” (See: Abstract Nouns)

τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ

John is using the word blood figuratively here to refer to the sacrificial death of Jesus, by association with the blood that Jesus shed when he died for our sins. Alternate translation: “the death of Jesus” (See: Metonymy)

καθαρίζει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας

John is speaking figuratively of sin as if it made a person dirty and of the blood of Jesus as if it made a person clean. Alternate translation: “takes away all of our sin” (See: Metaphor)

Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

Son is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 1:8

ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν

John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the importance of consistency between their words and their actions. Alternate translation: “Suppose we say that we have no sin. Then we are leading ourselves astray, and the truth is not in us” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν

Alternate translation: “we never sin”

ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν

John speaks figuratively of those who say this as if they were guides who were leading people—themselves, actually—in the wrong direction. Alternate translation: “we are deceiving ourselves” (See: Metaphor)

ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν

John speaks figuratively of the truth as if it were an object that could be inside believers. Alternate translation: “we do not believe that what God says is true” (See: Metaphor)

ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun truth, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “we do not believe that what God says is true” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 1:9

ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, πιστός ἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος

John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the value and benefits of living in holiness. Alternate translation: “Suppose we confess our sins. Then he is faithful and righteous” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν

Part of confessing sin to God is rejecting them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “If we confess our sins to God and turn away from them” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

πιστός ἐστιν…ἵνα ἀφῇ

The pronoun he refers to God in both instances in this verse. Alternate translation: “God is faithful … and God will forgive” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. John is likely using them together for emphasis. If including both phrases would be confusing for your readers, you could combine them and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “and he will completely forgive us of what we have done wrong” (See: Parallelism)

καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας

As in 1:7, John is speaking figuratively of sins as if they made a person dirty and of God’s forgiveness as if it made a person clean. Alternate translation: “not hold against us anything that we have done wrong” (See: Metaphor)

πάσης ἀδικίας

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun unrighteousness, you could express the idea behind it with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “anything that we have done wrong” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 1:10

ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι οὐχ ἡμαρτήκαμεν, ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτὸν

John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the serious implications of not living in holiness. Alternate translation: “Suppose we say that we have not sinned. Then we are calling God a liar” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

αὐτὸν…αὐτοῦ

The pronouns him and his refer to God in this verse. Alternate translation: “God … God’s” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτὸν

Be sure that it is clear in your translation that God would not actually be a liar in this case. Rather, a person who claimed to be without sin would be calling God a liar, since God has said that everyone is a sinner. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “that is the same as calling God a liar, because God has said that we have all sinned” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν

John is using the term word figuratively to mean what God has said by using words. Alternate translation: “we do not believe what God has said” (See: Metonymy)

ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν

As he did about the “truth” in 1:8, John is speaking figuratively of God’s word as if it were an object that could be inside believers. Alternate translation: “we do not believe what God has said” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 2

1 John 2 General Notes

Structure and formatting

1. Genuine believers obey God and love one another (2:1–17, continuing from 1:5)
2. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Messiah (2:18–2:27)
3. Genuine children of God do not sin (2:28–29, continues through 3:10)

In order to show that John is writing something like poetry in 2:12–14, some translations set the statements in those verses farther to the right than the rest of the text, and they begin a new line at the start of each statement.

Special concepts in this chapter

Antichrist

In 2:18 and 2:22, John writes both about a specific person called the Antichrist and about many people who will be “antichrists.” The word “antichrist” means “opposed to Christ.” The Antichrist is a person who will come just before the return of Jesus and imitate Jesus’ work, but he will do that for evil purposes. Before that person comes, there will be many other people who work against Christ. They too are called “antichrists,” but as a description rather than as a name. (See: antichrist and last day, latter days and evil, wicked, unpleasant)

Important textual issues in this chapter

In 2:20, some ancient manuscripts read “you all know,” and that is the reading that ULT follows. However, other ancient manuscripts read “you know all things.” It seems more likely, based on everything else in the letter, that “you all know” is the correct original reading, since John is countering the claim of false teachers to know more than other believers. The reading “you know all things” seems to have arisen because copyists felt a need to have an object for the verb “know.” Nevertheless, if a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: Textual Variants)

1 John 2:1

τεκνία μου

Here and in several other places in the book, John uses the diminutive form of the word children as an affectionate form of address. Alternate translation: “My dear children”

τεκνία μου

John is using the word children figuratively to describe the believers to whom he is writing. They are under his spiritual care, and so he regards them in that sense as if they were his own children. You could translate this in a non-figurative way, or you could represent the metaphor as a simile, as UST does. Alternate translation: “You dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

ταῦτα γράφω

Here, these things refers generally to everything that John has written about in the letter so far. Alternate translation: “I am writing this letter”

καὶ

The word And here introduces a contrast between what John hopes to achieve by writing, that these believers will not sin, and what might happen, that one of them might sin. Alternate translation: “But” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

ἐάν τις ἁμάρτῃ, Παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα

John is describing a hypothetical situation in order to reassure his readers. Alternate translation: “suppose someone does sin. Then we have an advocate with the Father” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

Παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν

John assumes that his readers will know that an advocate is someone who takes a person’s side and pleads on his behalf. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “Jesus Christ will take our side and ask God the Father to forgive us” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τὸν Πατέρα

This is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

δίκαιον

John is using the adjective righteous as a noun in order to indicate a specific type of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the one who is righteous” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

1 John 2:2

αὐτὸς

The pronoun he here refers to Jesus, the antecedent in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

αὐτὸς ἱλασμός ἐστιν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου

The abstract noun propitiation refers to something that someone does for someone else or gives to someone else so that he will no longer be angry. If your readers would misunderstand this term, you could translate it with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “because of Jesus, God is no longer angry about our sins, and not only about ours, but also about those of the whole world” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it figuratively refers to the people living in the world. Alternate translation: “everyone in the world” (See: Metonymy)

οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου

John leaves out the word for “sins” in these clauses because it is understood from the previous clause. If your readers would misunderstand this clause, you can include the missing word. Alternate translation: “and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world” (See: Ellipsis)

1 John 2:3

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτόν, ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “if we obey what he has commanded, then we can be assured that we have a close relationship with him” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτόν, ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν

If your language would not use a conditional statement with if for something that is true, you can express the same idea using a word like “by” or another way. Alternate translation: “there is a way to be sure that we truly know God. This is by obeying his commandments” (See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “this is how we know that” (See: Idiom)

γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτόν

John is using the word know in two different senses here. See the discussion of the word know in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. If your language has different words for these different senses, it would be appropriate to use them here. Alternate translation: “we can be assured that we have a close relationship with him”

αὐτόν…αὐτοῦ

In this verse, the pronouns him and his refer to God, the one who has given the commandments that people must obey. Alternate translation: “God … God’s” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν

Here, keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “if we obey what he has commanded” (See: Idiom)

1 John 2:4

ὁ λέγων, ὅτι ἔγνωκα αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστίν

John is describing a hypothetical situation in order to challenge his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose someone says, ‘I have a close relationship with God,’ but he does not obey what God has commanded. Then that person is a liar” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ὁ λέγων

Alternate translation: “Anyone who says” or “The person who says”

ἔγνωκα αὐτὸν

As in the second instance in 2:3, John is using the word know in the sense of knowing someone by personal experience. Alternate translation: “I know God very well”

αὐτὸν…αὐτοῦ

In this verse, the pronouns him and his refer to God, the one who has given the commandments that people must obey. Alternate translation: “God … God’s” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

καὶ

John is using the word and to introduce a contrast between what such a person might say and what his conduct actually indicates to be true. Alternate translation: “but” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

μὴ τηρῶν

In this instance, the word keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “does not obey” or “disobeys” (See: Idiom)

ψεύστης ἐστίν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “is certainly not speaking the truth” (See: Parallelism)

καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν

John is speaking figuratively of the truth as if it were an object that could be inside someone. See how you translated a similar expression in 1:8. Alternate translation: “and such a person is not speaking the truth” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun truth, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “and what such a person says is not true” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 2:5

δ’

This sentence makes a contrast by saying in a positive way what the previous sentence said in a negative way. Indicate this contrast in a natural way in your language. Alternate translation: “On the other hand,” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

ὃς δ’ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται

John is suggesting another hypothetical situation in order to reassure his readers. Alternate translation: “But suppose someone keeps his word. Then the love of God truly has been perfected in that person.” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον

John is using the term word figuratively to mean what God has commanded by using words. Alternate translation: “obeys God’s commandments” (See: Metonymy)

τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον

In this instance, the word keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “obeys God’s commandments” (See: Idiom)

αὐτοῦ…αὐτῷ

The pronouns his and him in this verse refer to God. Alternate translation: “God’s … God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται

The phrase the love of God could mean one of two things. (1) It could refer to a person loving God. Alternate translation: “that person indeed loves God completely” (2) It could refer to God loving people. Alternate translation: “God’s love has completely achieved its purpose in that person’s life” (See: Possession)

ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται

If your readers would misunderstand the passive verbal form has been perfected, you could use an active verbal form in its place. The person or thing doing the action will depend on how you decide to translate the phrase the love of God. Alternate translation: “that person indeed loves God completely” or “God’s love has completely achieved its purpose in that person’s life” (See: Active or Passive)

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν

The word this could be referring to (1) what John is about to say in verse 6, or (2) what John has just said in verse 5, or (3) both. If your language allows it, you could choose option (3), since both verses are talking about completely obeying God, but most languages will need to choose one or the other. (See: Metaphor)

ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν

John is speaking figuratively as if believers could be inside of God. This expression describes having a close relationship with God. Alternate translation: “we are living in fellowship with God” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 2:6

ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to this book. Here to remain in God means very much the same thing as to have “fellowship with God” in 1:3 and 1:6 and to “be in” God in 2:5. John is repeating the same idea in different ways. Alternate translation: “he has close fellowship with God” or “he shares life with God” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν

John once again speaks figuratively as if believers could be inside of God. Alternate translation: “he is close friends with God” or “he shares life with God” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν αὐτῷ

The pronoun him refers to God. Alternate translation: “in God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὀφείλει καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησεν, καὶ αὐτὸς περιπατεῖν

As in 1:6 and 1:7, John is using the word walk figuratively to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “must live as Jesus lived” or “must obey God just as Jesus did” (See: Metaphor)

ὀφείλει καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησεν, καὶ αὐτὸς περιπατεῖν

John is referring specifically to the way that Jesus behaved when he lived on earth. If your readers would misunderstand this, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “must walk in the same way as Jesus walked when he was living on earth” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἐκεῖνος

John is using this demonstrative pronoun to refer to Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 2:7

ἀγαπητοί

This is another term of affection by which John addresses the believers to whom he is writing. It involves using the adjective beloved as a noun in order to indicate a specific group of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” or “My dear friends” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the time when the people to whom he is writing first believed in Jesus. Alternate translation: “ever since you first believed in Jesus” (See: Idiom)

ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε

John is using word figuratively to refer to the message that these believers heard, which was communicated through words. Alternate translation: “the message that you heard” (See: Metonymy)

ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε

The implication is that the specific word or message that John is describing is the commandment Jesus gave to believers that they should love one another. See the Gospel of John 13:34 and 15:12. John indicates this explicitly in this letter in 3:23 and 4:21. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly at this point as well. Alternate translation: “the commandment Jesus gave that we should love one another” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 2:8

πάλιν

John is using the term Again idiomatically in the sense of “Looking at this again from another perspective.” Alternate translation: “On the other hand” (See: Idiom)

ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν

John is referring to the same commandment as in 2:7, the commandment that Jesus gave to love one another, which the believers have had all along. So he does not mean that he is now writing a new and different commandment, but rather that this same commandment, which he called “old” there, can also be considered new in a certain sense. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what commandment John is referring to, and you could give the likely reason why it can be considered new as well as “old.” Alternate translation: “the commandment that I am writing to you, to love one another, is also, in a sense, a new commandment, because it is characteristic of a new way of life” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could reverse the order of these clauses, since the second clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. It may also be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Because the darkness is going away and the true light is already shining, this commandment is true in Jesus and in you” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν

Since Jesus consistently obeyed the commandment to love, it is likely that John is emphasizing that believers are doing the same thing themselves. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could bring out this implicit emphasis in your translation. It may also be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Jesus truly obeyed this commandment, and you are now truly obeying it as well” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν

John is speaking figuratively as if this commandment were true inside of Jesus and these believers. Alternate translation: “Jesus truly obeyed this commandment, and you are now truly obeying it as well” (See: Metaphor)

αὐτῷ

The pronoun him refers to Jesus. John is using him as the supreme example of loving others. Alternate translation: “Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἡ σκοτία παράγεται, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει

As in 1:5, John is using the word darkness figuratively to represent evil and the word light figuratively to represent what is holy, right, and good. The shining of the light figuratively represents its influence on people. Alternate translation: “what is evil is going away and people are able to see what is genuinely good more and more” (See: Metaphor)

τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν

Since John calls God “the True One” in 5:20, he may be referring to God’s goodness and holiness when he says the true light. Alternate translation: “the goodness of God” or “the holiness of God” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 2:9

ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῶν, ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι

John is suggesting a further hypothetical situation in order to challenge his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose someone says that he is in the light, but he hates his brother. That person is actually still in the darkness.” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι

As in 1:5 and 2:8, John is using the word light figuratively to mean what is holy, right, and good. Alternate translation: “he does what is right” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ

John is using the word and here to introduce a contrast between what such a person might say and what his conduct actually indicates to be true. Alternate translation: “but” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

John is using the term brother figuratively to mean someone who shares the same faith. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

Although the term brother is masculine, John is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)

ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν

As in 1:5, John is using the word darkness figuratively to mean what is wrong or evil. Alternate translation: “is doing what is wrong” (See: Metaphor)

ἕως ἄρτι

Alternate translation: “still”

1 John 2:10

ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει

John is suggesting a further hypothetical situation in order to reassure his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose someone does love his fellow believers. Then he is genuinely doing what is right” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “each fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

If your readers would misunderstand this term, you could translate this in the plural, since John is speaking of loving all believers. Alternate translation: “each of his brothers” (See: Generic Noun Phrases)

ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει

John is using the word light figuratively to mean what is holy, right, and good. Alternate translation: “is genuinely doing what is right” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word seems to describe behavior that is recognized to be genuine because it is consistent. Alternate translation: “is genuinely doing what is right” (See: Metaphor)

σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν

John is using the term stumbling-block, which means something that a person would trip over, figuratively to mean something that would cause a person to sin. Alternate translation: “he has no reason to sin” or “nothing will cause him to sin” (See: Metaphor)

σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν

John speaks of this stumbling-block being in or inside a person because it represents the hatred for a fellow believer that he describes in 2:9. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly. Alternate translation: “he has no hatred inside of him that will cause him to sin” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 2:11

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this emphasis, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in a different way. Alternate translation: “is living in complete darkness” (See: Parallelism)

ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ

As in 1:5, John is using the word darkness figuratively to mean what is wrong or evil. Alternate translation: “is living in a way that is wrong” or “does what is evil” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ

John is using the word walk figuratively to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “conducts his life in wrong ways” (See: Metaphor)

οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ

If your readers would misunderstand this part of the sentence, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “because the darkness has blinded his eyes, he does not know where he is going” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει

This is a continuation of the metaphor of walking as a figurative description of how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “he does not know the right way to live” (See: Metaphor)

ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ

John is using blindness figuratively to mean a loss of moral sense. Alternate translation: “because his evil thoughts are keeping him from knowing right and wrong” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 2:12

τεκνία

The term little children here could refer to: (1) all of the believers to whom John is writing. This is the way that he uses this term in 2:1 and in several other places in this letter. See the explanation of it in two of the notes to 2:1. If that is the sense, then John divides the believers into only two groups in verses 12-14, the older ones and the younger ones. See the UST. Or it could refer to: (2) only some of the believers. In that case, John is addressing the believers in three different groups in verses 12-14, and this group would figuratively represent new believers, that is, those who have very recently put their faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. This would also apply to the similar term in 2:14. Alternate translation: “new believers” (See: Metaphor)

ὅτι

The word translated as because here could also be translated as “that.” In other words, what follows this word could be either: (1) the reason that John is writing or (2) the content that John wants to communicate. This also applies to the same phrase that is used several times in verses 13 and 14. Alternate translation: “that”

ἀφέωνται ὑμῖν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this with an active form, and you could state who has done the action. Alternate translation: “God has forgiven your sins” (See: Active or Passive)

διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ

The pronoun his refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “because of the name of Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ

John is using the name of Jesus figuratively to represent who Jesus is and what he has done. Alternate translation: “on account of Jesus” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 2:13

πατέρες

The term fathers here is likely a figurative description of one part of the believers. In that case, it could mean either: (1) “mature believers” or (2) “church leaders” (See: Metaphor)

ἐγνώκατε

As in 2:4, John is using the word know in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “you know very well”

τὸν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to Jesus or possibly to God the Father. John refers to Jesus with these same words at the beginning of this letter and in a similar way in John 1:1-2. Alternate translation: “him who has always existed” or “Jesus, who has always existed” (See: Idiom)

νεανίσκοι

This is likely a figurative description of a part of the group of believers. It probably refers to people who have become strong in their faith, even if they are not yet as mature as those in the group of fathers, since young men are in the time of life when they are strong and vigorous. Alternate translation: “strong believers” (See: Metaphor)

νεανίσκοι

Although the term men is masculine, John is likely using the word figuratively in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “strong believers” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)

νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν

John speaks figuratively of these strong believers refusing to do what the devil wants them to do as if they had defeated him in a struggle. Alternate translation: “you refuse to do what the devil wants you to do” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν πονηρόν

John is using the adjective evil as a noun in order to indicate a specific being. ULT adds one to show this. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the one who is evil” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

τὸν πονηρόν

John is speaking figuratively of the devil by association with his characteristic of being evil. Alternate translation: “the devil” or “Satan” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 2:14

ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, παιδία, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν Πατέρα

This sentence is similar to the sentence in 2:12. The next two sentences in this verse mean basically the same thing as the two sentences in 2:13. John is using these repetitions for emphasis and for poetic effect. For those reasons, it would be appropriate to translate all of these sentences separately and not combine them with the ones in the previous two verses, even if you combine parallel statements with similar meanings elsewhere in the book. (See: Parallelism)

ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, παιδία, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν Πατέρα

In some Bibles, this sentence comes at the end of 2:13 instead of at the beginning of this verse. The verse divisions were introduced to the Bible many centuries after its books were written, and their purpose is only to help readers find things easily. So the placement of this sentence, either at the start of this verse or at the end of the previous one, does not create any significant difference in meaning. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using the placement in that version. If not, we recommend that you follow the placement in the ULT text. (See: Textual Variants)

ἔγραψα ὑμῖν

By saying I have written, John is expressing himself slightly differently than in 2:12–13, where he says, “I am writing.” The difference is likely only for emphasis, as John looks back at what he has just said and indicates that he is saying it again. However, if your language distinguishes between the present and present perfect tenses, it would be appropriate to show the difference in your translation. (See: Verbs)

παιδία

While young children is a different term from “little children” in 2:12, figuratively it means the same thing. See how you translated the similar term there. Alternate translation: “who are like my own children” or “new believers” (See: Metaphor)

ἐγνώκατε

As in 2:4, John is using the word know in a specific sense. See how you translated it there and in 2:13. Alternate translation: “you are very close with”

τὸν Πατέρα

The Father is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

πατέρες

The term fathers likely has the same figurative meaning as in 2:13. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: (1) “mature believers” or (2) “church leaders” (See: Metaphor)

ἐγνώκατε

As in 2:4, 2:13, and earlier in this verse, John is using the word know in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “you are very close with”

τὸν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to Jesus or possibly to God the Father. John refers to Jesus with these same words at the beginning of this letter, in 2:13, and in a similar way in John 1:1-2. Alternate translation: “him who has always existed” or “Jesus, who has always existed” (See: Idiom)

νεανίσκοι

The term young men likely has the same figurative meaning here as in 2:13. Alternate translation: “strong believers” (See: Metaphor)

νεανίσκοι

Although the term men is masculine, John is likely using the word figuratively in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “strong believers” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)

ἰσχυροί ἐστε

John is using the word strong not literally to describe believers’ physical strength, but figuratively to describe their faithfulness to Jesus. Alternate translation: “you are faithful to Jesus” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν μένει

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word seems to describe behavior that is recognized to be genuine because it is consistent. Alternate translation: “you genuinely obey what God has commanded” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ

John is using the term word figuratively to refer to what God has commanded using words. Alternate translation: “what God has commanded” (See: Metonymy)

νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν

John speaks figuratively of these strong believers refusing to do what the devil wants them to do as if they had defeated him in a struggle. Alternate translation: “you refuse to do what the devil wants you to do” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν πονηρόν

John is using the adjective evil as a noun in order to indicate a specific being. ULT adds one to show this. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the one who is evil” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

τὸν πονηρόν

John is speaking figuratively of the devil by association with his characteristic of being evil. Alternate translation: “the devil” or “Satan” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 2:15

μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ

In the second phrase in this sentence, John leaves out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the first phrase. Alternate translation: “Do not love the world, and do not love any of the things that are in the world” (See: Ellipsis)

μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it figuratively refers to the system of values that people share who do not honor God. This system is necessarily contrary to the values that godly people have. Alternate translation: “Do not share the ungodly value system of the people who do not honor God” (See: Metonymy)

μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ

This phrase means essentially the same thing as the preceding one. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. However, since there is a slight difference in meaning, you may wish to translate these phrases separately rather than combining them. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “No, do not share any of the values that characterize the worldly system” (See: Parallelism)

ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ

John is describing a hypothetical situation in order to challenge his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose someone loves the world. Then the love of the Father is not in him” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ

The phrase the love of the Father could mean: (1) the love that a person has for God the Father. Alternate translation: “that person does not really love God the Father” or (2) the love that God has for people. Alternate translation: “God the Father’s love is not genuinely at work in that person” (See: Possession)

τοῦ Πατρὸς

Father is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “of God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 2:16

ὅτι

In this verse, John is giving the reason why the previous sentence is true. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could put this reason before that statement of result by combining this verse and the previous one into a verse bridge. In order to create a verse bridge, you could begin this verse with “since” instead of for; you could end it with a comma instead of a period; and you could make it the beginning of the second sentence in the previous verse, putting it before “if anyone loves the world.” (See: Verse Bridges)

πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:15. Alternate translation: “everything that characterizes the ungodly value system of the people who do not honor God” (See: Metonymy)

ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σαρκὸς

John is using the term flesh figuratively to mean the physical human body, which is made of flesh. Alternate translation: “the strong desire to have sinful physical pleasure” (See: Metonymy)

ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν

John is using the term eyes figuratively to mean the ability to see. Alternate translation: “the strong desire to have the things that we see” (See: Metonymy)

ἡ ἀλαζονία τοῦ βίου

John is likely using the Greek term that ULT translates as life in one of its specific senses, to mean “possessions,” as in 3:17. Alternate translation: “pride in one’s possessions”

οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός, ἀλλὰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐστίν

See how you translated the term world in 2:15. It has a similar meaning in this verse. Alternate translation: “does not represent how God the Father wants us to live, but instead comes from an ungodly value system” (See: Metonymy)

τοῦ Πατρός

Father is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 2:17

ὁ κόσμος

See how you translated the term world in 2:15. It has a similar meaning in this verse. Alternate translation: “the ungodly value system of the people who do not honor God” (See: Metonymy)

ὁ κόσμος παράγεται

John speaks figuratively of the world as if it were leaving. Alternate translation: “the world will not last very much longer” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: “and its desire is also going away” (See: Ellipsis)

ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ

John is using the possessive form to show that the world is the source of this desire and gives it its character. Alternate translation: “the worldly desire” or “people’s desire for the world” or “the desire that this system of values creates in people” (See: Possession)

ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ

If your readers would misunderstand this term, you could translate this in the plural, since John is referring to all of the different types of desire associated with the world that he described in 2:16. Alternate translation: “worldly desires” or “the desires that this system of values creates in people” (See: Generic Noun Phrases)

μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word refers to continuing existence. Alternate translation: “will live forever” (See: Metaphor)

εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

This is an idiom. Consider using an idiom in your language that has this meaning. Alternate translation: “forever” (See: Idiom)

1 John 2:18

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 18. Suggested heading: “False Teaching and True Teaching” (See: Section Headings)

παιδία

This is the same term that John used figuratively in 2:14 that seems to be a stylistic variation of the term that he uses in 2:1 and 2:12, as well as in several other places in the book, to address all of the believers to whom he is writing. See how you translated this in those places. Alternate translation: “My dear children” or “You dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν

John is using the term hour figuratively to refer a specific time. The expression the last hour refers specifically to the time at the end of earthly history just before Jesus returns. Alternate translation: “Jesus will return soon … Jesus will return soon” (See: Idiom)

ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν

See the discussion of the terms antichrist and antichrists in the General Notes to this chapter. Alternate translation: “someone is coming who will lead a great opposition to Jesus, already many people are opposing Jesus in that way now” (See: Translate Unknowns)

1 John 2:19

ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν

These people formerly met with the group of believers to whom John is writing. While they physically left the places where the believers met, John is also using the expression went out figuratively to mean that these people stopped being part of the group. Alternate translation: “They left our group of believers in Jesus” (See: Metaphor)

ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν…οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν

John is using the expression from us in a slightly different sense in these instances than in the first instance in the verse. In the first instance, it means that these people left the group. In this instance, it means that they were never genuinely part of the group. Alternate translation: “but they were never genuinely part of our group … none of them are genuinely part of our group” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly why John makes this claim. Alternate translation: “they were never genuinely part of our group, because they did not actually believe in Jesus in the first place” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν

John is presenting a situation that is not real to help his readers recognize why the claim that he is making is true. Alternate translation: “We know that they were not genuinely part of our group because they did not continue to participate in it” (See: Connect — Contrary to Fact Conditions)

μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word seems to refer to continuing participation in a group. Alternate translation: “they would have continued to participate in our group” (See: Metaphor)

ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous sentence. Alternate translation: “but they left us so that their actions would reveal that all of them were not genuinely part of our group” (See: Ellipsis)

ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here, the people were revealed as unbelievers when they left the group. If your language does not use passive forms, you could express this with an active form, and you could state what is doing the action. Alternate translation: “they left so that their actions would reveal” (See: Active or Passive)

οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν

The word all refers to all the people who left the group. If your readers would misunderstand this reference, you could make the subject negative and the verb positive. Alternate translation: “none of them are from us” or “none of them were genuinely part of our group”

1 John 2:20

καὶ

John is using the word and to introduce a contrast between the people who left the group and the remaining believers to whom he is writing. Alternate translation: “However,” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun anointing, you could express the idea behind it with a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: “the Holy One has anointed you” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου

The word anointing refers to the practice, seen often in the Old Testament, of pouring oil on a person to set that person apart to serve God. If your readers would not be familiar with this practice, you could describe it specifically in your translation. Alternate translation: “the Holy One has poured oil on you to set you apart to serve him” (See: Translate Unknowns)

ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου

Here John is using anointing figuratively to refer to the Holy Spirit. Just as people poured oil on kings and priests to set them apart for service to God, God gives the Holy Spirit to believers to set them apart and equip them to serve God. John says specifically in 3:24 and 4:13 that God has given the Spirit to believers in this way. Alternate translation: “the Holy One has given you his Spirit” (See: Metaphor)

τοῦ Ἁγίου

John is using the adjective Holy as a noun in order to indicate a specific person. ULT adds One to show this. John is referring specifically to God, and so ULT capitalizes both of these words to show that they are describing a divine person. Your language may allow you to use this adjective as a noun. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “God, the One who is holy” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

οἴδατε πάντες

See the discussion of textual issues at the end of the General Notes to this chapter to decide whether to follow the reading of ULT and say you all know or to follow the reading of some other versions and say “you know all things.” (See: Textual Variants)

οἴδατε πάντες

Based on what he says in the next verse, John likely means here that the believers to whom he is writing all know the truth. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “you all know the truth” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 2:21

οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν

If your readers would misunderstand this double negative, you could translate it as a positive statement. Since John then repeats the statement in positive form in the next phrase, you can make the connection to that phrase as an affirmation rather than as a contrast. Alternate translation: “I have written to you because you know the truth, yes, because you do know it” (See: Double Negatives)

οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν

If saying I have not written to you seems wrong or confusing in your language, you can move the negative to the next clause. Alternate translation: “I have written to you not because you do not know the truth, but because you do know the truth” or “I have written to you not to inform you of the truth, but I have written to you because you already know it” (See: Connect — Exception Clauses)

τὴν ἀλήθειαν…ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun truth, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “what is true … from what is true” (See: Abstract Nouns)

τὴν ἀλήθειαν…ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας

John is likely referring figuratively to the teaching that believers have received from Jesus by association with the way that it is true. Alternate translation: “the true teaching that we received from Jesus … from this true teaching” (See: Metonymy)

καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: “and you know that every lie is not from the truth” (See: Ellipsis)

πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν

If your readers would misunderstand this phrase, you could clarify it by making the subject negative and the verb positive. Alternate translation: “no lie is from the truth”

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας

This second occurrence of the truth could refer to: (1) The same as the first occurrence. Alternate translation: “part of God’s true message” (2) God, who is the source of all truth. Alternate translation: “from God, the One who is true”

1 John 2:22

τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός?

John is using the question form for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this question, you could translate his words as a statement or exclamation. Alternate translation: “Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Messiah is certainly a liar!” (See: Rhetorical Question)

ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός

For emphasis, John is using a double negative in Greek, specifically, a negative verb (denies) with a negative particle, “not.” In English, it would come out as, “the one who denies that Jesus is not the Christ.” In Greek, the second negative does not cancel the first to create a positive meaning. But in English, the meaning would inaccurately be positive, which is why ULT uses only one negative. It leaves out “not” and says the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. However, if your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction in your translation. (See: Double Negatives)

οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος

John is not referring here to the ultimate antichrist who will appear at the end of earthly history. John does not have a specific person in view here. Rather, he is speaking generally of all people who oppose Christ. See how you translated the term antichrist in 2:18. Alternate translation: “Such a person is the enemy of Jesus” (See: Generic Noun Phrases)

ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱόν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate explicitly why John says this about these people. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “By denying that Jesus is the Messiah, he is denying both God the Father, who sent Jesus to be the Messiah, and Jesus his Son, whom he sent” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱόν

Father and Son are important titles that describe the relationship between God and Jesus. Alternate translation: “God the Father and Jesus his Son” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 2:23

πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν Υἱὸν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what this means in light of what John says in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “Everyone who denies that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τὸν Υἱὸν

Son is an important title for Jesus. (See: Translating Son and Father)

οὐδὲ τὸν Πατέρα ἔχει…καὶ τὸν Πατέρα ἔχει

The language of possession that John is using actually indicates that such a person does not or does belong to God, rather than that God does not or does belong to such a person. Alternate translation: “does not belong to the Father … belongs to the Father as well” (See: Possession)

τὸν Πατέρα

Father is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father … God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν Υἱὸν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what this means in light of what John says in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “Everyone who truly believes and acknowledges publicly that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 2:24

ὃ ἠκούσατε…ὃ…ἠκούσατε

John is referring implicitly to the teaching about Jesus that these believers have heard. Alternate translation: “the teaching you have heard … the teaching you have heard” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the time when the people to whom he is writing first believed in Jesus. Alternate translation: “ever since you first believed in Jesus … ever since you first believed in Jesus” (See: Idiom)

ἐν ὑμῖν μενέτω…ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In these instances, in reference to the teaching about Jesus, the word seems to refer to continuing belief in that teaching. Alternate translation: “continue to believe it … you continue to believe” (See: Metaphor)

ἐὰν ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ ὃ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἠκούσατε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ μενεῖτε

John is describing a conditional situation in order to reassure his readers. Alternate translation: “As long as what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will also remain in the Son and in the Father” (See: Connect — Hypothetical Conditions)

καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ μενεῖτε

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “you will also continue to have a close relationship with the Son and with the Father” (See: Metaphor)

τῷ Υἱῷ…τῷ Πατρὶ

Son and Father are important titles for Jesus and God, respectively. Alternate translation: “Jesus the Son of God … God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 2:25

ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν

If it is unnatural in your language to use both the noun promise and the verb promised, you can use just one form of the word in your translation. Alternate translation: “the promise that he made to us” or “what he promised us”

αὐτὸς

The pronoun he could refer in this context either to Jesus or to God the Father. However, it seems more likely that it refers to Jesus, since John has just talked in 2:22–23 about denying or confessing him, and it was Jesus who promised eternal life to everyone who believed in him. See, for example, the Gospel of John 3:36 and 6:47. Alternate translation: “Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον

John means more than physical life. This expression can indicate living forever in the presence of God after death, a commonly recognized meaning, but it can also indicate receiving power from God in this life to live in a new way. Alternate translation: “that we would have power to live a new life now and that we would live with him forever after we die” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 2:26

τῶν πλανώντων ὑμᾶς

John speaks figuratively of these people as if they were guides who were leading others in the wrong direction. This is a metaphor for their attempts to get the people to whom John is writing to believe things that are not true. Alternate translation: “those who are deceiving you” or “those who are trying to get you to believe things that are not true” (See: Metaphor)

τῶν πλανώντων ὑμᾶς

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly in what way these people are leading others astray. Alternate translation: “the people who are leading you astray about Jesus” or “the people who are lying to you about Jesus” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 2:27

τὸ χρῖσμα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

See how you translated the word anointing in 2:20. Alternate translation: “the Spirit, whom Jesus has given you” (See: Metaphor)

ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ…ἐν αὐτῷ

Like the pronoun “he” in 2:25, the words him and his in this verse likely refer to Jesus. If your readers would misunderstand this, you can use the name instead of a pronoun. Alternate translation: “from Jesus … in Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

μένει ἐν ὑμῖν

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to refer to the continuing presence of the Spirit with a believer. Alternate translation: “lives inside of you” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ

John is using the word and to introduce the results of what he says in the previous part of this sentence. Alternate translation: “and so” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

τὸ αὐτοῦ χρῖσμα

See how you translated this earlier in this verse. Alternate translation: “his Spirit” (See: Metaphor)

περὶ πάντων

This is a generalization for emphasis. If this is confusing in your language, you can be more specific. Alternate translation: “about the things that you need to know” (See: Hyperbole)

ἀληθές ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ψεῦδος

Alternate translation: “tells the truth and does not lie”

ἐδίδαξεν ὑμᾶς

Since the Spirit is a person, if you translate anointing as “Spirit” in this verse, it may also be more appropriate in your language to use a personal pronoun in this clause. Alternate translation: “he has taught you” or “the Spirit has taught you” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “continue to have a close relationship with him” (See: Metaphor)

μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ

John is speaking figuratively as if believers could be inside of God. Alternate translation: “continue to have a close relationship with him” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 2:28

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 28. Suggested heading: “Children of God” (See: Section Headings)

καὶ νῦν

John uses this expression to introduce a new part of the letter, in which he will talk about being children of God and the return of Jesus. In your translation, you can use a word, phrase, or other method that is natural in your language for introducing a new topic.

τεκνία

John readdresses the recipients as he begins a new section of the letter. See how you translated this in 2:1. Alternate translation: “you dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, John seems to be using the expression in the same way that he has just used it in 2:27. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “continue to have a close relationship with him” (See: Metaphor)

αὐτῷ…ἐὰν φανερωθῇ…ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ…αὐτοῦ

The pronouns him, he, and his likely refer to Jesus in this verse, since John speaks of his coming or return. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “Jesus” in one or more of these instances. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐὰν φανερωθῇ

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the term could have either an active or a passive meaning. In either case, John is not saying that Jesus will only appear to return. (1) If the meaning is active, John is speaking of the act of Jesus physically returning to earth. Alternate translation: “when Jesus returns” (2) If the meaning is passive, John is speaking of God revealing Jesus to the world as its true king. To bring out that meaning, you could translate this with a passive verbal form or, if your language does not use passive forms, you could use an active form and say who will do the action. Alternate translation: “when Jesus is revealed” or “when God reveals Jesus” (See: Active or Passive)

σχῶμεν παρρησίαν, καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using the repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these phrases into an emphatic expression. Alternate translation: “we may be completely confident at his coming” (See: Parallelism)

σχῶμεν παρρησίαν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun boldness, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective. Alternate translation: “we may be bold” (See: Abstract Nouns)

μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

John is using the word him, meaning Jesus, figuratively to mean the presence of Jesus. Alternate translation: “we will not be ashamed to be in his presence” (See: Synecdoche)

μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “we will not be ashamed to be in his presence” (See: Active or Passive)

ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ

Alternate translation: “when he returns to earth”

1 John 2:29

ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ὅτι δίκαιός ἐστιν

John is using the form of conditional possibility here, but he is stating something that is actually true. In Greek, this was a way of affirming that the part that follows this statement is also true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what John is saying is not certain, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “Since you know that God is righteous” (See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

ἐστιν…αὐτοῦ

The pronouns he and him likely refer to God the Father, since in the next two verses John says that believers are “children of God,” and he speaks in this verse of those who have been begotten from him. Alternate translation: “God is … God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun righteousness, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “right.” Alternate translation: “everyone who does what is right” (See: Abstract Nouns)

πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “God is the father of everyone who does what is right” (See: Active or Passive)

πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται

Since believers have not literally been begotten by God, John means this figuratively. He says in 4:9 that Jesus is the “only-begotten” of God, since God is the actual Father of Jesus in a way that he is not the actual father of believers. Alternate translation: “God is the spiritual father of everyone who does what is right” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3

1 John 3 General Notes

Structure and formatting

1. Genuine children of God do not sin (3:1–10, continuing from 2:28)
2. Genuine believers help one another sacrificially (3:11–18)
3. Genuine believers have confidence in prayer (3:19–24)

Special concepts in this chapter

“children of God”

People are sometimes described as “children of God” because God created them. However, John uses this expression in a different sense in this chapter. He uses it to describe people who have entered into a father-child relationship with God by putting their faith and trust in Jesus. God indeed created all people, but people can only become children of God in this sense by believing in Jesus. “Children” in this usage does not refer to those who are young, but only to the relationship that people have at any age to their father. (See: believe, believer, belief, unbeliever, unbelief)

Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter

“the one who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him” (3:24)

This does not mean that keeping our salvation is conditional on doing certain works. Rather, John is describing the results of keeping the commandments that he describes in 3:32. Those commandments are to believe in Jesus and to love one another. John is saying that the person who believes in Jesus and loves others shows that he has a close relationship with God, and that he will continue to have that close relationship because of this obedience. Christians around the world hold different beliefs about whether people who have been saved can lose their salvation. That is not what John is addressing here, and translators should be careful not to let how they understand that issue affect how they translate this passage. (See: eternity, everlasting, eternal, forever and save, saved, safe, salvation)

Important textual issues in this chapter

In 3:1, the most accurate ancient manuscripts include the words “and we are.” That is the reading that ULT follows. However, some other ancient manuscripts do not include these words, and so some Bibles do not have them. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: Textual Variants)

1 John 3:1

ἴδετε

John is using the term see figuratively. Alternate translation: “Consider” (See: Metaphor)

ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Πατὴρ

Alternate translation: “how greatly the Father has loved us”

ὁ Πατὴρ

Father is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father” (See: Translating Son and Father)

ἵνα τέκνα Θεοῦ κληθῶμεν

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “that God should call us his children” (See: Active or Passive)

τέκνα Θεοῦ

Here John expresses the same metaphor as in 2:29 in a slightly different way. See whether you decided to indicate the figurative meaning there. If you translate children using a literal term, choose a word that can refer to people of any age in relation to their father. Alternate translation: “spiritual children of God” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ ἐσμέν

See the discussion of textual issues at the end of the General Notes to this chapter to decide whether to follow the reading of ULT and include these words or to follow the reading of some other versions and not include them. (See: Textual Variants)

διὰ τοῦτο, ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “Because the world did not know God, for that reason it does not know us” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

διὰ τοῦτο, ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it figuratively refers to people who do not honor God and who do not live as God wishes. Alternate translation: “because ungodly people have not known God, for that reason they do not know us” (See: Metonymy)

οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς…οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν

John is using the word know in two different senses. See the discussion of the word “know” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. If your language has different words for these different senses, it would be appropriate to use them in your translation. Alternate translation: “does not recognize who we are … it did not become acquainted with him”

οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what the world does not know about believers in Jesus. Alternate translation: “does not recognize that we are God’s children” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

αὐτόν

The pronoun him refers to God, the antecedent in the previous sentence. Alternate translation: “God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 3:2

ἀγαπητοί

See how you translated this in 2:7. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” or “My dear ones” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

τέκνα Θεοῦ

See whether you decided to indicate the figurative meaning of this expression in 3:1. Alternate translation: “spiritual children of God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

καὶ

John is using the word and to introduce a contrast between what is now known about believers and what is not yet known. Alternate translation: “but” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα

If your language does not use passive forms, you could use an active form and say who will do the action. Alternate translation: “God has not yet revealed what we will be” (See: Active or Passive)

ἐὰν φανερωθῇ

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. The meaning of the term in this instance seems to be the same as in 2:28. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “when Jesus returns” or “when Jesus is revealed” or “when God reveals Jesus” (See: Active or Passive)

ἐὰν φανερωθῇ…αὐτῷ…αὐτὸν…ἐστιν

The pronouns he and him likely refer to Jesus in this verse, since John speaks of when he appears or returns. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “Jesus” in one or more of these instances. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα, ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν

If your readers would misunderstand this phrase, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “we will see him just as he is, and so we will be like him” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

1 John 3:3

πᾶς ὁ ἔχων τὴν ἐλπίδα ταύτην ἐπ’ αὐτῷ

The pronoun him here does not refer to everyone; it refers to Jesus. The expression this hope refers to the hope that John describes in the previous verse, of seeing Jesus as he is. Alternate translation: “everyone who hopes to see Jesus as he really is” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

αὐτῷ…ἐκεῖνος

These pronouns refer to Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus … Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 3:4

πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun lawlessness, you could express the idea behind it with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “Everyone who commits sin is also breaking God’s law. Indeed, sin is breaking God’s law” (See: Abstract Nouns)

πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain why John gives this warning. See the discussion of “sin” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Suggested footnote: “The false teachers were saying that it does not matter what people do in their physical bodies. In this way, they were tempting the people to sin.”

1 John 3:5

ἐκεῖνος…ἄρῃ…αὐτῷ

The pronouns that one, he, and him refer to Jesus in this verse. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “Jesus” in one or more of these instances. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐκεῖνος ἐφανερώθη

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the term seems to have an active meaning. Alternate translation: “Jesus came to earth” (See: Active or Passive)

ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν

John speaks figuratively of sin as if it were an object that could be inside of Jesus, although he is emphasizing that sin is not in Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus has never sinned” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:6

πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “Everyone who has a close relationship with Jesus” (See: Metaphor)

πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων

John is speaking figuratively as if believers could be inside of Jesus. Alternate translation: “Everyone who has a close relationship with Jesus” (See: Metaphor)

αὐτῷ…αὐτὸν…αὐτόν

The pronoun him refers to Jesus in this verse. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “Jesus” in one or more of these instances. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state what this implicitly means in light of the situation that John is addressing in this letter. See the discussion of “sin” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. John acknowledges elsewhere in this letter that genuine believers actually do sin, but they do not sin continually or wantonly. Alternate translation: “does not sin wantonly and continually” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν, οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν

The words seen and known mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these terms into a single expression. Alternate translation: “certainly does not have a close relationship with Jesus” (See: Doublet)

οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν

John is not referring to people literally seeing Jesus. Rather, he is using sight figuratively to mean perception and recognition. Alternate translation: “has not recognized who Jesus is” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:7

τεκνία

See how you translated this in 2:1. Alternate translation: “You dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

μηδεὶς πλανάτω ὑμᾶς

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:26. Alternate translation: “do not be deceived by anyone” or “do not let anyone get you to believe things that are not true” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:29. Alternate translation: “The one who does what is right” (See: Abstract Nouns)

δίκαιός ἐστιν, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος δίκαιός ἐστιν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what the term righteous means in this context. Alternate translation: “is acceptable to God, just as Jesus is acceptable to God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἐκεῖνος

The demonstrative pronoun that one refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 3:8

ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν

Here the preposition from indicates influence. The usage here is similar to that in the phrase “from the world” in 2:16. Alternate translation: “is acting under the influence of the devil”

ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the time when God created the world. In this case, the word from indicates not that the devil began to sin at that time, but that he had already begun to sin by that time. Alternate translation: “even before the world was created” (See: Idiom)

ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

Son of God is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus, the Son of God” or “God’s Son Jesus” (See: Translating Son and Father)

ἐφανερώθη

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the term seems to have an active meaning and to mean the same thing as in 3:5, that Jesus came to earth. It does not mean that he only appeared to come. Alternate translation: “came to earth” (See: Active or Passive)

ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what works John is talking about. Alternate translation: “so that he might free people from continually sinning, as the devil had gotten them to do” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 3:9

πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ…ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται

See how you translated this in 2:29. Alternate translation: “Everyone whose father is God … because God is his father” (See: Active or Passive)

πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ…ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται

See whether in 2:29 you decided to explain this metaphor. Alternate translation: “Everyone whose spiritual father is God … because God is his spiritual father” (See: Metaphor)

σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

In this phrase, his refers to God and him refers to the person who has been begotten from God. Alternate translation: “God’s seed remains in such a person” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, as in 2:27, it seems to refer to a continuing presence. Alternate translation: “God’s seed continues to be present in such a person” (See: Metaphor)

σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

John is using the word seed figuratively here. It could mean: (1) The characteristics of a father that a child inherits from him and displays more and more as he grows. Alternate translation: “the characteristics that show that God is his father become continually more evident” (2) Something that gives life such as the seed from which plants grow. Alternate translation: “the new life that God has put in that person continues to grow” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:10

ἐν τούτῳ φανερά ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου

In this means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. The word this refers to what John says in the next sentence. Alternate translation: “This is how we can tell the difference between the children of God and the children of the devil” (See: Idiom)

τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου

John is using the word children idiomatically in both of these instances. His usage is similar to the Hebrew idiom in which the “child” of something shares its characteristics. Alternate translation: “people who are living a new life in close relationship with God and people who are still in their old way of life influenced by the devil” (See: Idiom)

πᾶς ὁ μὴ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

If your readers would misunderstand this double negative, you could translate it as a positive statement. Alternate translation: “Everyone who does wrong is alienated from God” (See: Double Negatives)

ὁ μὴ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:29. Alternate translation: “who does not do what is right” (See: Abstract Nouns)

οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

The expression from God is an idiom. John uses it in various ways in this letter. Alternate translation: “does not belong to God” or “is not living in relationship with God” (See: Idiom)

καὶ ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: “and the one who does not love his brother is not from God” or, if you translated the double negative in the previous clause as a positive statement, “and anyone who hates a fellow believer is alienated from God” (See: Ellipsis)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:11

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 11. Suggested heading: “What Love Is” (See: Section Headings)

ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς

John uses the phrase from the beginning in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the time when the people to whom he is writing first heard about or first believed in Jesus. See how you translated this phrase in 2:7. Alternate translation: “ever since you first heard about Jesus” (See: Idiom)

1 John 3:12

οὐ καθὼς Κάϊν

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous verse. Alternate translation: “and we should not be like Cain” (See: Ellipsis)

Κάϊν…ἔσφαξεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

John assumes that his readers will know that Cain was a son of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. As the book of Genesis describes, Cain was jealous of his younger brother Abel and murdered him. If your readers might not know this, you could express this explicitly in a footnote or by putting the names of his parents and brother in the text. Alternate translation: “Cain, the son of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, … murdered his younger brother Abel” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Κάϊν

Cain is the name of a man. (See: How to Translate Names)

ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἦν

This is similar to the phrase “from the devil” in 3:8. See how you translated that phrase. Alternate translation: “who belonged to the evil one” or “who was influenced by the evil one”

τοῦ πονηροῦ

John is using the adjective evil as a noun in order to indicate a specific being. ULT adds one to show this. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the one who is evil” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

τοῦ πονηροῦ

John is speaking figuratively of the devil by association with the way that he is evil. Alternate translation: “the devil” (See: Metonymy)

καὶ χάριν τίνος ἔσφαξεν αὐτόν? ὅτι

John is using a question as a teaching tool. If your readers would misunderstand this question, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: “He killed him because” (See: Rhetorical Question)

τὰ δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, δίκαια

John is leaving out a word, “were,” that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. The word “were” can be supplied for clarity. Alternate translation: “but his brother’s works were righteous” (See: Ellipsis)

1 John 3:13

μὴ θαυμάζετε

If your readers would misunderstand this phrase, you could show the connection between this sentence and the previous one by using a connecting word like “so” or “therefore.” Using the example of Cain, John shows that evil people naturally hate righteous people. Alternate translation: “So do not be surprised” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ἀδελφοί

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “my friends” (See: Metaphor)

εἰ μισεῖ ὑμᾶς ὁ κόσμος

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it figuratively refers to people who do not honor God and who do not live as God wishes, as in 3:1. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “if ungodly people hate you” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 3:14

ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τοὺς ἀδελφούς

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “Because we love the brothers, we know that we have relocated from death into life” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τοὺς ἀδελφούς

Be sure that your translation does not communicate that loving the brothers is what causes people to pass from death to life. Alternate translation: “The way that we know that we have relocated from death into life is because we love the brothers”

μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν

John is speaking figuratively of the conditions of being dead and alive as if they were physical locations between which a person could move. Alternate translation: “we are no longer dead but have become alive” (See: Metaphor)

μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν

Since John and his readers were not literally dead, he is referring to spiritual death and to spiritual life. Alternate translation: “we are no longer dead spiritually but have become alive spiritually” (See: Metaphor)

τοὺς ἀδελφούς

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “the other believers” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν

John does not say specifically whom such a person does not love. In context, it appears that he means other believers. But it is also possible that John means other people in general. Alternate translation: “The one who does not love his fellow believers” or “The one who does not love other people” (See: Ellipsis)

μένει ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it means staying in the same place. John is once again speaking figuratively of the state of death as if it were a location. Alternate translation: “remains dead spiritually” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:15

πᾶς ὁ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἐστίν

John is using the term murderer figuratively, and he is echoing the teaching of Jesus that is recorded in Matthew 5:21–22. John means that since people commit murder because they hate other people, anyone who hates is the same on the inside as someone who actually kills another person. It may be helpful to translate this metaphor as a simile. Alternate translation: “Whoever hates another believer is just like someone who kills a person” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

πᾶς ἀνθρωποκτόνος οὐκ ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον

If your readers would misunderstand this phrase, you could make the subject negative and the verb positive. Alternate translation: “no murderer has eternal life”

ζωὴν αἰώνιον

Since John is speaking of a present reality, by eternal life he does not mean living forever in the presence of God after death, which is one thing that this expression can describe. Rather, he means the regenerating power that God gives to believers in this life that helps them to stop sinning and to do what pleases him. Clearly, anyone who is a murderer does not have this power at work in him. Alternate translation: “the power that God gives to help us become new people” (See: Metaphor)

οὐκ ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἐν αὐτῷ μένουσαν

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, John seems to be using the term literally, in the sense of “residing,” to depict eternal life figuratively as if it were a living thing that could actively reside within a person. Alternate translation: “has not received eternal life” (See: Personification)

1 John 3:16

ἐν τούτῳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην

In this we have known means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we have come to understand what love is” (See: Idiom)

ἐκεῖνος

The demonstrative pronoun that one refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “willingly gave his life for us” or “willingly died for us” (See: Idiom)

καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, τὰς ψυχὰς θεῖναι

John is not saying that we should seek out ways to die for our fellow believers in a literal sense, but that we should be prepared to do so, if necessary. However, he is also using the expression lay down our lives figuratively to mean that we should seek ways to love our fellow believers in sacrificial ways, as he illustrates in the next verse. (See: Metaphor)

τῶν ἀδελφῶν

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “our fellow believers” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:17

ὃς…ἂν ἔχῃ τὸν βίον τοῦ κόσμου

John uses this expression to introduce a hypothetical situation, which he discusses over the course of the whole verse. He is not talking about any specific person. If your readers would misunderstand this to translate this hypothetically, you can follow the UST. (See: Hypothetical Situations)

τὸν βίον τοῦ κόσμου

In this letter, John uses world to mean various things. Here it refers to the created world, and so to material things such as, in this context, money, food, and clothing. Alternate translation: “material possessions” (See: Metonymy)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

χρείαν ἔχοντα

Alternate translation: “who needs help”

κλείσῃ τὰ σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

This is an idiom in which the entrails or internal organs figuratively represent the emotions that would lead a person to act generously. Your language may have an equivalent figurative expression that you could use. You could also express the plain meaning in your translation. Alternate translation: “closes his heart to him” or “refuses to have compassion on him” or “declines to help him” (See: Idiom)

πῶς ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐν αὐτῷ?

John is using the question form as a teaching tool. If your readers would misunderstand this question, you could translate his words as a statement or exclamation. Alternate translation: “the love of God does not remain in such a person!” (See: Rhetorical Question)

πῶς ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐν αὐτῷ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. As in 2:14, here the word seems to describe behavior that is recognized to be genuine because it is consistent. Alternate translation: “such a person does not genuinely love others with love that is from God!” (See: Metaphor)

πῶς ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐν αὐτῷ

As in 2:5, the phrase the love of God could mean: (1) God loving people. Alternate translation: “Is it possible that he has truly received God’s love” (2) a person loving God. Alternate translation: “is it really possible that he truly loves God” We recommend option (1) if you must choose. But it is probable that John intends both meanings here, so if your translation can leave the possibilities open, that would be best. Alternate translation: “is he really loving others the way that God loves him” (See: Possession)

1 John 3:18

τεκνία

See how you translated this in 2:1. Alternate translation: “You dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

μὴ ἀγαπῶμεν λόγῳ, μηδὲ τῇ γλώσσῃ

The phrases in word and in tongue mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these terms into a single expression. Alternate translation: “let us not love only by what we say” (See: Doublet)

μὴ ἀγαπῶμεν λόγῳ, μηδὲ τῇ γλώσσῃ

John is using the phrases in word and in tongue figuratively to refer to what a person says. Alternate translation: “let us not love only by what we say” (See: Metonymy)

μὴ ἀγαπῶμεν λόγῳ, μηδὲ τῇ γλώσσῃ

John is not saying that we should never express love through words. He is using hyperbole to make a contrast between words and actions. If your readers would misunderstand this you can include a word such as “only” or “merely.” Alternate translation: “let us not love only by what we say” (See: Hyperbole)

ἀλλὰ ἐν ἔργῳ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: “but let us love in deed and in truth” (See: Ellipsis)

ἐν ἔργῳ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ

John is expressing a single idea by using two words connected with and. The word truth indicates the quality that loving in deed would have. Alternate translation: “truly, in actions” (See: Hendiadys)

1 John 3:19

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 19. Suggested heading: “Have Confidence When You Pray” (See: Section Headings)

ἐν τούτῳ γνωσόμεθα…καὶ…πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

John describes a result in this verse. He gives the reason for that result in the next verse. If your readers would misunderstand this, you could put the reason before the result by creating a verse bridge. You could put 3:20 first in your translation, making it a separate sentence and leaving out both instances of the word “that.” You could put this verse next, translating it as in the following suggestions. Alternate translation: “That is how we can know … and how we can persuade our hearts” (See: Verse Bridges)

ἐν τούτῳ

In this could refer either to: (1) What John has just said in verse 18. Alternate translation: “If we do that” (2) What John is about to say in verse 20. Alternate translation: “I will tell you how”

ἐν τούτῳ γνωσόμεθα

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we can know” (See: Idiom)

γνωσόμεθα, ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν, καὶ…πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

The phrases we will know and we will persuade our hearts mean similar things. John is likely using the repetition for emphasis. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these phrases into an emphatic expression. Alternate translation: “we will be completely convinced that we are from the truth” (See: Parallelism)

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν

This could mean one of two things. (1) John could be referring figuratively to God by association with the way that God is true. In other words, God always tells the truth and does what he says. Alternate translation: “we are from God, who is true” (2) As in 2:21, the word truth could refer to the true teaching that believers have received from Jesus. Alternate translation: “we are conducting our lives according to the true message” (See: Metonymy)

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun truth, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “we are from the One who is true” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν

See how you translated the expression in 3:10 that has a similar meaning. Alternate translation: “we belong to God” or “we are living in relationship with God” (See: Idiom)

πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

John is speaking figuratively of hearts to mean thoughts and feelings. There may be a similar expression in your language. Alternate translation: “we can reassure ourselves about this” (See: Metaphor)

ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ

The pronoun him refers to God. Alternate translation: “before God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ

The word before means “in front of” or “in the presence of” someone. It likely refers to when we pray to God or are otherwise aware that he sees everything that we do. Alternate translation: “when we pray to God” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:20

ὅτι ἐὰν καταγινώσκῃ ἡμῶν ἡ καρδία, ὅτι μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν, καὶ γινώσκει πάντα

John is discussing a hypothetical situation in order to reassure his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose our heart condemns us. Then we should remember that God is greater than our heart and knows everything” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἐὰν καταγινώσκῃ ἡμῶν ἡ καρδία

John continues speaking figuratively of the heart to mean the thoughts and feelings. There may be a similar expression in your language. Alternate translation: “if our feelings condemn us” or “if our thoughts accuse us” (See: Metaphor)

ἐὰν καταγινώσκῃ ἡμῶν ἡ καρδία

The topic here, continuing from 3:19, is how we can know that “we are from the truth,” so this is likely a reference to needing reassurance about that. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “if we ever feel that we do not belong to God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἡμῶν ἡ καρδία…τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν

If it would be unusual in your language to speak of one heart in reference to many people, and if you decide to retain the word heart as a metaphor in your translation, you can make it plural. Alternate translation: “our hearts … our hearts” (See: Possession)

μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν, καὶ γινώσκει πάντα

Since John is using the heart figuratively to mean the thoughts and feelings, the statement that God is greater than our heart likely means that God knows and understands more than we do and that God has greater compassion for us than we have for ourselves. In that case, the phrases is greater than our heart and knows everything would mean similar things. If your readers would misunderstand this connection, you could combine these phrases into an emphatic expression. Alternate translation: “God certainly knows better than we do that we belong to him” (See: Parallelism)

μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν, καὶ γινώσκει πάντα

The implications are that, given God’s greater knowledge, we should believe what he has said rather than what our thoughts and feelings are saying. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “God certainly knows better than we do that we belong to him, and so we should believe that because he has said so” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 3:21

ἀγαπητοί

See how you translated this in 2:7. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

ἐὰν ἡ καρδία μὴ καταγινώσκῃ, παρρησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν,

John discusses another hypothetical situation in order to reassure his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose our hearts do not condemn us. Then we have confidence toward God” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ἐὰν ἡ καρδία μὴ καταγινώσκῃ

See how you translated the similar expression in 3:20. Alternate translation: “if we do not feel that we do not belong to God” or, positively, “if we feel assured that we belong to God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἡ καρδία

If you decided in the previous verse to retain the word heart as a metaphor in your translation and you made it plural there, you can make it plural in this instance as well. You can also use the same possessive pronoun as in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “our hearts” (See: Possession)

παρρησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what this confidence applies to, in light of what John says in the next verse. Alternate translation: “we can pray to God confidently” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

παρρησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun confidence, you could express the idea behind it with an adverb such as “confidently.” Alternate translation: “we can pray to God confidently” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 3:22

ὅτι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηροῦμεν, καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ποιοῦμεν

John is not saying that we receive whatever we ask in return for obeying God’s commandments and doing what pleases him. Our obedience does not obligate God to give us what we ask for. Our obedience is simply what God has a right to expect from us. Rather, the word because reaches back to the statement earlier in this sentence, in the previous verse, that “we have confidence toward God,” that is, we can pray to God confidently. Living in obedience and doing what pleases God gives us confidence to ask for things according to his will. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly by starting a new sentence here that refers back to that statement and explains how John’s statement in this verse relates to it. Alternate translation: “We can pray confidently like this because we obey God’s commandments and do what pleases him, and that assures us that we belong to him” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηροῦμεν

As in 2:3, the word keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “we obey his commandments” (See: Idiom)

τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ

John is using the adjective pleasing as a noun. ULT adds things to show this. (The word is plural.) Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the things that please him” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ

The word before means “in front of” or “in the presence of” another person. In this case, before him indicates “in God’s sight.” Seeing, for its part, represents attention and judgment. So this means the things that God regards as pleasing. Alternate translation: “the things that please him” or “what God considers to be good” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 3:23

αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολὴ αὐτοῦ

The pronoun his refers to God in this verse. Alternate translation: “this is what God has commanded” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

As in 2:12, John is using the name of Jesus figuratively to represent who Jesus is and what he has done. Alternate translation: “in Jesus Christ his Son and what he has done for us” (See: Metonymy)

τοῦ Υἱοῦ

Son is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

ἔδωκεν

The pronoun he here may refer to: (1) Jesus or (2) God. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 3:24

ὁ τηρῶν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

The pronouns his and him here refer to God. Alternate translation: “the one who keeps God’s commandments remains in God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὁ τηρῶν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ

The word keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “the person who obeys God’s commandments” (See: Idiom)

ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “continues to have a close relationship with him” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

John is speaking figuratively as if believers could be inside of God. Alternate translation: “continues to have a close relationship with God” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: “and God remains in him” (See: Ellipsis)

καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ

John is speaking figuratively as if God could be inside of believers. Alternate translation: “and God continues to have a close relationship with that person” (See: Metaphor)

καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ

Although the term him here is masculine, John is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “and God continues to have a close relationship with that person” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “this is how we know that” (See: Idiom)

μένει ἐν ἡμῖν

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as it does earlier in the verse. Alternate translation: “he continues to have a close relationship with us” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 4

1 John 4 General Notes

Structure and formatting

1. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus became human (4:1–6)
2. Genuine believers love one another as God has loved them (4:7–21)

Special concepts in this chapter

“Spirit” and “spirit”

John uses the word “spirit” in different ways in this chapter. Sometimes the word “spirit” clearly refers to a supernatural being. Sometimes the word “spirit” may refer either to the human spirit, to the character of something, or to a supernatural being. Therefore, the expressions “the spirit of the antichrist,” “the spirit of truth,” and “the spirit of error” may refer to the spirit of the humans who promote those things, the attitudes and thinking that are typical of those things, or to spiritual beings who inspire those things. When the word is written with a capital letter, as in the expressions “the Spirit of God” and “his Spirit,” it refers to the Holy Spirit.

Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter

Loving God

If people love God, they should show it in the way that they live and the way that they treat other people. Doing this may assure us that God has saved us and that we belong to him. But loving others does not save us. Be sure that this is clear in your translation. John says in 4:7 that “everyone who loves is begotten from God and knows God.” As the notes explain, this means that God is the spiritual father of everyone who loves, and everyone who loves is in a close relationship with God. But this love from God is a sign that they belong to God only because of what Jesus did for them on the cross, as John says in 4:10. They were saved by what Jesus did, not because they themselves loved others. (See: save, saved, safe, salvation)

Important textual issues in this chapter

In 4:3, the most accurate ancient manuscripts say “acknowledge Jesus.” That is the reading that ULT follows. Some other ancient manuscripts say “acknowledge Jesus Christ having come in the flesh.” (Some of these manuscripts say “Jesus” or “the Lord Jesus” instead of “Jesus Christ.”) If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: Textual Variants)

1 John 4:1

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 1. Suggested heading: “Recognizing the Spirit of God” (See: Section Headings)

ἀγαπητοί

See how you translated this in 2:7. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε, ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα

John is speaking figuratively of a prophet by association with the spirit that would inspire a prophet to speak. Alternate translation: “do not believe every prophet; instead, consider carefully what prophets say” (See: Metonymy)

εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν

John uses the expression from God in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to origin. Alternate translation: “in order to determine whether God has sent them” or “in order to determine whether God is inspiring them”

εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν

This sentence leaves out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers would misunderstand this phrase, you could supply these words. Alternate translation: “to see whether they are from God, or whether they are not from God” (See: Ellipsis)

ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it figuratively refers to the people living in the world. Alternate translation: “are out there speaking to people” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 4:2

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκετε

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how you can recognize” (See: Idiom)

πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ ὁμολογεῖ

John is speaking figuratively of a prophet by association with the spirit that would inspire a prophet to speak. Alternate translation: “Every prophet who teaches” (See: Metonymy)

Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα

As in 2:16, John is using the term flesh figuratively to mean the physical human body, which is made of flesh. See Part 2 of the Introduction to 1 John for an explanation of why the false teachers denied that Jesus had a human body. Alternate translation: “that Jesus Christ had a real human body” (See: Metonymy)

ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν

See how you translated this expression in 4:1. Alternate translation: “is inspired by God” or, if your language does not use passive forms, “God is inspiring,” placing that phrase before every spirit or “every prophet”

1 John 4:3

πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ μὴ ὁμολογεῖ

See how you translated the similar expression in 4:2. Alternate translation: “every prophet who does not teach” (See: Metonymy)

Ἰησοῦν

See the discussion of textual issues at the end of the General Notes to this chapter to decide whether to follow the reading of ULT and say Jesus here or to follow the reading of some other manuscripts and say “Jesus Christ having come in the flesh.” (See: Textual Variants)

τὸν Ἰησοῦν

If you follow the variant reading “Jesus Christ having come in the flesh,” see how you translated that expression in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “that Jesus Christ had a real human body” (See: Metonymy)

τὸν Ἰησοῦν

Even if you do not follow the reading of the textual variant here, you may wish to explain more fully what John means by Jesus in this context in order to make the implied information explicit for your readers. Alternate translation: “that Jesus Christ had a real human body” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν

See how you translated the similar expression in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “is not inspired by God” or, if your language does not use passive forms, “God is not inspiring,” placing that phrase before every spirit or “every prophet”

τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου

The word that most likely means “the spirit,” referring back to the word spirit in the previous sentence. Alternate translation: “this is the spirit of the Antichrist” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου

Assuming that the word that means “the spirit,” see the discussion of the word “spirit” in the General Notes to this chapter. In this instance, John is referring to either: (1) the characteristic attitude of something, or (2) a supernatural being who inspires that attitude. Also see how you translated the term antichrist in 2:18. Alternate translation: “this false teaching is opposed to Jesus”

ὃ ἀκηκόατε ὅτι ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν ἤδη

The word which refers to the spirit of the antichrist, which was already in the world at the time when John wrote, and not to the antichrist himself, who was not in the world. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “You have heard that this false teaching is coming, and it is now already circulating among people” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here, while it could possibly mean the literal earth (so this expression would mean “on this earth”), it more likely refers figuratively to the people living in the world. Alternate translation: “circulating among people” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 4:4

ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστε

The expression from God means something different in this verse than in the previous three verses, since it refers to believers rather than to the spirits that are inspiring prophets. It means the same thing as in 3:10. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “You belong to God” or “You are living in relationship with God” (See: Idiom)

τεκνία

See how you translated this in 2:1. Alternate translation: “you dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

νενικήκατε αὐτούς

As in 2:13 and 2:14, John is using the word overcome figuratively. He is speaking of the believers’ refusal to believe the false prophets as if the believers had defeated these prophets in a struggle. Alternate translation: “you have refused to believe these false teachers” (See: Metaphor)

αὐτούς

The pronoun them refers to the false prophets whom John describes in 4:1. Alternate translation: “these false teachers” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐστὶν ὁ ἐν ὑμῖν

As in 3:24, John is speaking figuratively as if God could be inside of believers. Alternate translation: “God, with whom you have a close relationship,” (See: Metaphor)

μείζων…ἢ

If your readers would misunderstand this phrase, for this context you can use a more specific word than greater. Alternate translation: “stronger than”

ὁ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ

The phrase in the world here and in verse 5 seems to have a different meaning than in verse 1 and verse 3. There, it refers to location, so when John says in verse 3 that the spirit of the antichrist is “in the world,” it means “on this earth” or “circulating among people.” But here, John seems to be using the term world to mean the value system that is opposed to God. In that case, the phrase the one in the world would refer to the devil by association with the way that he inspires that system. Alternate translation: “the devil” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 4:5

αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου εἰσίν; διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλοῦσιν

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here in these first two instances, it figuratively refers to the system of values shared by people who do not know God. Alternate translation: “These false teachers are influenced by the ungodly value system of the people who do not honor God. As a result, they express the perspectives of that system” (See: Metonymy)

αὐτοὶ

The pronoun they refers to the false prophets whom John describes in 4:1. Alternate translation: “These false teachers” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν ἀκούει

In this instance, the term world figuratively refers to people who share the world’s value system. That is, they do not honor or obey God. Alternate translation: “ungodly people listen to them” (See: Metonymy)

ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν ἀκούει

The word listens is an idiom that means “believes” or “is persuaded by.” Alternate translation: “ungodly people believe them” (See: Idiom)

1 John 4:6

ἡμεῖς…ἡμῶν…ἡμῶν

These pronouns in the first three sentences of this verse are probably exclusive, and so if your language marks that distinction, we recommend using the exclusive form in your translation. John appears to be speaking here of himself and his fellow eyewitnesses of the resurrection as teachers of the truth about Jesus. He has already said that the believers to whom he is writing are from God in 4:4. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν

Here, from God could mean: (1) that John and his fellow eyewitnesses teach the truth about Jesus because God has sent them to do that. Alternate translation: “God has sent us” (2) the same thing as it does in 4:4 and in 4:1–3. Alternate translation: “We belong to God” (See: Idiom)

ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν

If you have decided that We are from God means “God has sent us,” and if it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what God has sent John and the other eyewitnesses to do, either here or in a footnote. Alternate translation: “God has sent us to teach the truth about Jesus as eyewitnesses to his life on earth” (See: Idiom)

ὁ γινώσκων τὸν Θεὸν

As in 2:3–4, John is using the word knows in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “Anyone who has a close relationship with God”

ἀκούει ἡμῶν…οὐκ ἀκούει ἡμῶν

As in 4:5, the word listens is an idiom that means “believes” or “is persuaded by.” Alternate translation: “believes what we teach … does not believe what we teach” (See: Idiom)

ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

The expression from God means the same thing in this verse as in 4:4. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “Whoever does not belong to God” or “Whoever is not living in relationship with God” (See: Idiom)

ἐκ τούτου γινώσκομεν

This is an idiomatic expression. It means the same thing as the expression “in this we know” which John uses several times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we can recognize” (See: Idiom)

ἐκ τούτου γινώσκομεν

Here, this refers back to what John has just written in the previous two sentences. We can know if someone is teaching a true message if it agrees with what John and the other apostles teach, and that it is a false message if it does not. John may have intended for this to also include what he said in 4:2–3. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

γινώσκομεν

Since John is once again speaking of himself and the believers to whom he is writing, we in this last sentence in the verse would be inclusive, and so if your language marks that distinction, use the inclusive form in your translation. This inclusive usage continues through 4:13. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πλάνης

See the discussion of the word spirit in the General Notes to this chapter. In these instances, the word may refer to: (1) spirits that inspire messages of a certain kind. In this case, the spirit of truth would refer to God’s Spirit, and the spirit of error would refer to the devil. These would also be what John refers to as “the one in you” and “the one in the world” in 4:4. See the UST. (2) the character of something. In this case, John would be using spirit figuratively to refer to people whose teaching has a certain character. Alternate translation: “whose teaching is true and whose teaching is false” (See: Metonymy)

τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πλάνης

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract nouns truth and error, you could express the idea behind them with the adjectives “true” and “false.” Alternate translation: “the spirit whose messages are true and the spirit whose messages are false” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 4:7

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 7. Suggested heading: “Love Comes from God” (See: Section Headings)

ἀγαπητοί

See how you translated this in 2:7. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

ἡ ἀγάπη ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν

The expression from God means something similar to what it does in 4:1–3. Alternate translation: “God inspires us to love” (See: Idiom)

πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται

See how you translated this metaphor in 2:29 and 3:9. Alternate translation: “God is the spiritual father of everyone who loves” (See: Metaphor)

πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “God is the father of everyone who loves” (See: Active or Passive)

καὶ γινώσκει τὸν Θεόν

As in 2:4, John is using the word knows in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “and such a person has a close relationship with God”

1 John 4:8

ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν, οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν Θεόν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “Since God is love, the one who does not love does not know God” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν Θεόν

As in 2:4, John is using the word know in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “does not have a close relationship with God”

ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

This is a metaphor that describes what God is like in his character. Alternate translation: “God is entirely loving” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun love, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “loving.” Alternate translation: “God is entirely loving” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 4:9

ἐν τούτῳ

In this means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how” (See: Idiom)

ἐν τούτῳ

Here, this refers forward to what John will say in the rest of the sentence. God demonstrated that he loves us by sending his Son. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐφανερώθη ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. This is a Greek passive verbal form that may have an active meaning, so it could be translated appeared or “was revealed.” If your language does not use passive forms, you could use an active form and say who did the action. Alternate translation: “God showed us how much he loves us” (See: Active or Passive)

ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ

Here, the love of God refers to God loving people. Alternate translation: “God’s love for us” (See: Possession)

ἡμῖν

The expression among us likely refers to all of humanity, not just to the people who saw and heard Jesus when he was alive, so this would be an inclusive use of the term us that would include the believers to whom John is writing. John says later in the sentence that Jesus came so that we might live through him, and we in that instance does include these believers. So it is likely that us earlier in the sentence includes them as well. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ

His Son is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “his Son Jesus” (See: Translating Son and Father)

τὸν μονογενῆ

Alternate translation: “who is God’s only actual Child” or “his only one”

εἰς τὸν κόσμον

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it refers to the created world. Alternate translation: “to this earth” (See: Metonymy)

ἵνα ζήσωμεν δι’ αὐτοῦ

Since people were already literally alive before Jesus came, John means this in a figurative sense. He is likely referring to what he calls “eternal life” in 3:15. That includes both living forever in the presence of God after death and receiving power from God in this life to live in a new way. Alternate translation: “so that through him we might receive power from God to live as new people in this life and to live forever in God’s presence after we die” (See: Metaphor)

δι’ αὐτοῦ

Alternate translation: “as a result of what he did for us”

1 John 4:10

ἐν τούτῳ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη

In this means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we have experienced genuine love” (See: Idiom)

ἐν τούτῳ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun love, you could express the meaning behind it with a verb. Alternate translation: “This is how we know what it means to love” (See: Abstract Nouns)

τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ

His Son is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “his Son Jesus” (See: Translating Son and Father)

ἀπέστειλεν τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἱλασμὸν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun propitiation, you could express the meaning behind it with an equivalent expression. See how you translated the term in 2:2. Alternate translation: “sent his Son to be the offering that made him no longer angry with us because of our sins” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 4:11

ἀγαπητοί

See how you translated this in 2:7. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

εἰ οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς

John is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what John is saying is not certain, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “because God loved us in this way” (See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

οὕτως

The word thus refers to the manner in which God showed his love to us, as described in verses 9 and 10. Alternate translation: “in that way” (See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

1 John 4:12

ἐὰν ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους, ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν μένει, καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη αὐτοῦ τετελειωμένη ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν

John is speaking of a real situation as if it were a hypothetical condition. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is already real, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what John is saying is not real, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “But as we love each other, God remains in us, and his love is perfected in us” or “But we do love each other, so that means that God remains in us, and his love is perfected in us”(See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν μένει

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “God continues to have a close relationship with us” (See: Metaphor)

ἡ ἀγάπη αὐτοῦ τετελειωμένη ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:5. In this case, it is clear that John is referring to God’s love for us, rather than to our love for God. Alternate translation: “God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives” (See: Active or Passive)

1 John 4:13

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ μένομεν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος αὐτοῦ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν

This verse is very similar to the second half of 3:24. See how you translated that verse. In this may set up an awkward sentence in your language. If so, try wording it in other ways. Alternate translation: “This is how we know that we remain in him, and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit” or “We know that we remain in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit”

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we know that” (See: Idiom)

ἐν αὐτῷ μένομεν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν

In the expression and he in us, John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: “we remain in him and he remains in us” (See: Ellipsis)

ἐν αὐτῷ μένομεν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “we continue to have a close relationship with God, and God continues to have a close relationship with us” (See: Metaphor)

ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος αὐτοῦ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν

The word of here means “some of.” However, God’s Spirit is not something that can be divided. Rather, John is saying that God is sharing his Spirit with us. God’s Spirit can be in many places, and he is fully present in every place. John is saying that through his Spirit, God is fully present in the entire community, and that each believer experiences some of that full presence of God through the presence of the Spirit in his own life. Be sure that it is also clear in your translation that God does not have less of his Spirit now that each of us has some. Alternate translation: “he has sent his Spirit to live in each of us”

1 John 4:14

ἡμεῖς τεθεάμεθα καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν, ὅτι

In this verse, John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses of the earthly life of Jesus, so the pronoun we is exclusive. Alternate translation: “we apostles have seen and bear witness to the fact that” (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

ὁ Πατὴρ…τὸν Υἱὸν

These are important titles that describe the relationship between God and Jesus. Alternate translation: “God the Father … Jesus his Son” (See: Translating Son and Father)

Σωτῆρα τοῦ κόσμου

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it figuratively refers to the people living in the world. Alternate translation: “to save the people in the world” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 4:15

ὃς ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ Θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Θεῷ

This can be translated as a conditional statement. John is saying that what he describes in the second phrase will happen only if what he describes in the first phrase happens. Then it will certainly happen. Alternate translation: “If someone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, then God will remain in him and he will remain in God” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

ὃς ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

The meaning of this expression is similar to the expression “the one who confesses the Son” in 2:23. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “Everyone who truly believes and acknowledges publicly that Jesus is the Son of God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

The Son of God is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

ὁ Θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Θεῷ

In the expression and he in God, John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: “God remains in him and he remains in God” (See: Ellipsis)

ὁ Θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Θεῷ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “God continues to have a close relationship with him, and he continues to have a close relationship with God” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 4:16

ἡμεῖς…ἡμῖν

Here and in the rest of the letter, John speaks of himself and the believers to whom he is writing, so the words we and us will be inclusive. If your language marks that distinction, use the inclusive form in your translation. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)

τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχει ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν

The phrase translated in us here is the same as the phrase translated “among us” in 4:9. Here it could mean: (1) God’s love directed to us. Alternate translation: “the love that God has for us” (2) God’s love directed to others through us. Alternate translation: “the love that God has put into us” It may also be that John used a very general phrase in order to include both meanings. (See: Idiom)

ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

This is a metaphor that describes what God is like in his character. See how you translated it in 4:8. Alternate translation: “God is entirely loving” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. As in 2:24, in this instance the word seems to refer to maintaining a pattern of behavior. Alternate translation: “someone who continues to love others” (See: Metaphor)

ἐν τῷ Θεῷ μένει, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει

See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in 2:6 and in 4:15. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “continues to have a close relationship with God, and God continues to have a close relationship with him” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 4:17

ἐν τούτῳ

As in 4:9, In this means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how” (See: Idiom)

ἐν τούτῳ

In this may refer: (1) backward to the last sentence of verse 16. Alternate translation: “By remaining in God,” (2) forward to the clause beginning because just as that one is. Alternate translation: “By loving others just the way that Jesus does,” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τετελείωται ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ’ ἡμῶν

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:5. Since John speaks in the previous verse of God’s love, here John is probably continuing to refer to God’s love for us, rather than to our love for God. Alternate translation: “God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives” (See: Active or Passive)

ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως

The clause beginning so that could function as: (1) a result clause. That is, John may be saying that as a result of God’s love achieving its purposes in our lives now, we will be confident on the day of judgment of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for result clauses. Alternate translation: “with the result that we may have confidence in the day of judgment” (2) a purpose clause. That is, John may be saying that one reason why God is having his love achieve its purpose in our lives now is because he wants us to be confident on the day of judgment of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for purpose clauses. (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what believers will have confidence about. Alternate translation: “so that we will be confident that God has forgiven us and will accept us” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun confidence, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “confident.” Alternate translation: “so that we will be confident that God has forgiven us and will accept us” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως

John is using the term day figuratively to refer to a specific time. Alternate translation: “at the time when God judges us” (See: Idiom)

ὅτι

The word translated because here can be understood in different ways, depending on how you translated In this at the beginning of the verse. (1) If you translated In this as referring back to verse 16, then this word can be translated as “because.” (2) If you translated In this as referring to the clause beginning with this word, then translate this word with one that introduces the content of In this, such as “that.”

ὅτι καθὼς ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν

The demonstrative pronoun that one refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “since we are becoming more and more like Jesus” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ

John uses world to mean various things in this letter, usually in a figurative sense. Here, however, it refers literally to the created world. Alternate translation: “as we live in this world” or “in our lives on this earth” (See: Metonymy)

1 John 4:18

φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἀλλ’ ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον, ὅτι ὁ φόβος κόλασιν ἔχει

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could put the third clause before the first clause, since the third clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. Alternate translation: “Because fear has punishment, fear is not in love, but perfect love throws fear outside” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἀλλ’ ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον, ὅτι ὁ φόβος κόλασιν ἔχει

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could state explicitly what John means by fear, perfect love, and punishment, particularly in light of what he says in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “A person who thinks he is going to be punished is afraid, but no one who truly understands how much God loves him will be afraid, because when God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives, we are confident that he has forgiven us and will accept us” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ

John speaks figuratively as if fear could be inside of love. Alternate translation: “no one who truly understands how much God loves him will be afraid” (See: Metaphor)

ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον

By perfect love, John means the same thing as when he speaks in the previous verse of love that “has been perfected.” See how you translated that expression. Alternate translation: “when God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives, it keeps us from being afraid”

ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον

John speaks figuratively of love as if it could actively throw fear far away from us. Alternate translation: “when God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives, it keeps us from being afraid” (See: Personification)

ὁ φόβος κόλασιν ἔχει

Alternate translation: “fear has to do with punishment” or “people are afraid when they think they will be punished”

ὁ δὲ φοβούμενος, οὐ τετελείωται ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:5. Here, as there, love could mean: (1) God’s love for us. Alternate translation: “So if someone is afraid, then God’s love has not achieved its purpose in his life” (2) our love for God. Alternate translation: “So if someone is afraid, then he does not yet love God perfectly” It could also mean both things, as in 3:17. If you must choose, then we recommend option (1). But if your translation can leave both possibilities open, that would be best. Alternate translation: “So if someone is afraid, then love is not yet fully working in his life”(See: Active or Passive)

ὁ δὲ φοβούμενος, οὐ τετελείωται ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what such a person fears. This is clear from the previous verse. Alternate translation: “So if someone is afraid that God has not forgiven him and that God will not accept him, then God’s love has not achieved its purpose in his life” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 4:19

ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν, ὅτι αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς

This verse summarizes the idea of verse 10. See how you translated there. If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “Because God first loved us, we love” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν

If you need to say who it is that We love, there are two possibilities, and John probably intended both here. If you must choose, then we recommend option (1) below, but if your translation can include both possibilities as in the UST, that would be best. Alternate translation: (1) “We love God” or (2) “We love others” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς

The pronoun he refers to God. Alternate translation: “God first loved us” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

1 John 4:20

ἐάν τις εἴπῃ, ὅτι ἀγαπῶ τὸν Θεόν, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῇ, ψεύστης ἐστίν

John is using a hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the importance of consistency between their words and their actions. Alternate translation: “Suppose someone says, ‘I love God,’ but he hates his brother. Then he is a liar” (See: Hypothetical Situations)

καὶ

John is using the word and to introduce a contrast between what would be expected, that someone who loved God would also love his fellow believers, and what would actually be true of this hypothetical person. Alternate translation: “but” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

ὁ…μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ…τὸν Θεὸν…οὐ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν

If your readers would misunderstand this double negative, you could translate it as a positive statement. Alternate translation: “only those who love their fellow believers … are able to love God” (See: Double Negatives)

ὁ γὰρ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ὃν ἑώρακεν, τὸν Θεὸν, ὃν οὐχ ἑώρακεν, οὐ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν

If your readers would misunderstand this sentence, you could state why this is true. Alternate translation: “This is true because it is much easier to love your fellow believer who is right in front of you than to love God, whom you cannot even see.” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 4:21

ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔχομεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

Alternate translation: “this is what God has commanded us”

ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

The pronoun him refers to God. Alternate translation: “from God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν Θεὸν

Here, the one refers to anyone who loves God. Alternate translation: “anyone who loves God” (See: Generic Noun Phrases)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “each fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 5

1 John 5 General Notes

Structure and formatting

1. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Son of God (5:1–12)
2. Closing of Letter (5:13-21)

Possible translation difficulties in this chapter

“a sin towards death”

It is not entirely clear what John means by this phrase. The word “death” could refer either to physical death or to spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. See the further discussion in the notes to 5:16. (See: die, dead, deadly, death)

“the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”

The phrase “the evil one” refers to Satan. God has allowed him to rule the world, but, ultimately, God is in control over everything. God keeps his children safe from the evil one. (See: Satan, devil, evil one)

Important textual issues in this chapter

In 5:7–8, all ancient manuscripts say: “For there are three who testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are unto the one.” That is the reading that ULT follows. Some much later manuscripts say: “For there are three who testify in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one; and there are three who testify on earth: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are unto the one.” In this case, translators are advised to translate this as the ULT text does, since there is wide agreement that it follows the accurate reading. However, if there are older versions of the Bible in your region that have the longer reading, you can include it, but you should put it inside square brackets [ ] and indicate in a footnote that it was most likely not in the original version of 1 John. (See: Textual Variants)

1 John 5:1

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 1. Suggested heading: “Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God” (See: Section Headings)

ὁ Χριστὸς

Christ is the Greek word for “Messiah.” Alternate translation: “the Messiah”

πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:29. Alternate translation: “God is the father of everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah” (See: Active or Passive)

πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται

See whether in 2:29 you decided to explain this metaphor. Alternate translation: “God is the spiritual father of everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah” (See: Metaphor)

πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα, ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ

John includes this short saying to teach something that is generally true about life and that applies to the point he has been developing since 4:7, that genuine believers love one another as God has loved them. Use the natural form in your language for a true saying. Alternate translation: “everyone who loves a father also loves that father’s child” (See: Proverbs)

πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα, ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what this means and how it applies to John’s argument in this part of the letter. See the UST. Alternate translation: “everyone who loves God will also love his fellow believers, since God is their spiritual father” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 5:2

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι

This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how we know that” (See: Idiom)

τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ

Since John says in the previous verse that God is the spiritual father of believers, by the children of God he means other believers. Alternate translation: “our fellow believers” (See: Metaphor)

τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν

Here, keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “we obey his commandments” (See: Idiom)

1 John 5:3

γάρ

In this verse, John gives a reason why his readers should recognize that the statement he makes in the previous verse is true. Alternate translation: “After all,” (See: Connect — Reason-and-Result Relationship)

αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly why this is the reason for the statement that John makes in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “And this is why: If we really do love God, we will love other believers, as he has commanded” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ

In this context, the phrase the love of God refers to believers loving God. John speaks in the previous verse of “when we love God.” Alternate translation: “what it means to love God” (See: Possession)

ἵνα τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν

Here, keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “that we should obey his commandments” (See: Idiom)

αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ βαρεῖαι οὐκ εἰσίν

John speaks figuratively of God’s commandments as if they had weight but did not weigh very much. Alternate translation: “his commandments are not difficult to obey” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 5:4

ὅτι πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον

In order to create a verse bridge, you could begin this sentence with “since” instead of for; you could end it with a comma instead of a period; and you could make it the beginning of the second sentence in the previous verse. It would go before “his commandments are not burdensome.” The word “And” would be left out. The result of combining verses 4 and 5 would be: “For this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments. Since everyone who has been begotten from God overcomes the world, his commandments are not burdensome. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.” (See: Verse Bridges)

πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:29. Alternate translation: “everyone whose father is God” (See: Active or Passive)

πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

See whether in 2:29 you decided to explain this metaphor. Alternate translation: “everyone whose spiritual father is God” (See: Metaphor)

νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον

As in 2:13, John is using the word overcomes figuratively. He is speaking of the believers’ refusal to live by the value system of ungodly people as if the believers had defeated that system in a struggle. Alternate translation: “does not live by the value system of ungodly people” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν κόσμον

See how you translated the term world in 2:15. It has a similar meaning in this verse. Alternate translation: “the value system of ungodly people” (See: Metonymy)

ἡ νίκη

John is speaking figuratively of the thing that has won the victory as if it were the victory itself. Alternate translation: “what has won the victory” (See: Metonymy)

ἡ νίκη ἡ νικήσασα

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun victory, you could express the idea behind it by combining it with the verb overcome. Alternate translation: “what has enabled us to overcome” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ἡ νικήσασα τὸν κόσμον

Once again John is using the word overcome figuratively. He is speaking of the faith that he and his readers share as if it had defeated the ungodly value system in a struggle. Alternate translation: “that enables us to live differently from the value system of ungodly people” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν κόσμον

John is using the term world to mean the same thing as in the previous sentence. Alternate translation: “the value system of ungodly people” (See: Metonymy)

ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun faith, you could express the idea behind it with a verb such as “believe.” Alternate translation: “that we believe in Jesus” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 5:5

τίς ἐστιν δέ ὁ νικῶν τὸν κόσμον, εἰ μὴ ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ?

John is using the question form for emphasis, to reaffirm what he said in the first sentence of the previous verse. If your readers would misunderstand this question, you could translate his words as a statement and provide emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “But only someone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world.” (See: Rhetorical Question)

νικῶν τὸν κόσμον

See how you translated overcomes the world in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “who does not live by the value system of ungodly people” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν κόσμον

See how you translated the world in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “the value system of ungodly people” (See: Metonymy)

ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

The Son of God is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 5:6

οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐλθὼν δι’ ὕδατος καὶ αἵματος

John is specifying here what it means to believe fully that “Jesus is the Son of God,” as he described in the previous verse. The terms water and blood are metonyms, representing different important ways that the Son of God came to us. You may want to clarify these meanings in the text, or do so in a footnote. The blood represents Jesus’ death on the cross, when he shed his blood as the Savior of the world. The water could stand for: (1) Jesus’ baptism. When John baptized Jesus in the water of the Jordan River, the Son of God began his ministry of reconciling the world to God. See the UST. (2) Jesus’ birth. There was the breaking of the birth water when the Son of God was born as a man. Alternate translation: “This is the one who came through the water of human birth and the blood of his sacrificial death” (See: Metonymy)

ὁ ἐλθὼν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means, as UST does. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

δι’ ὕδατος καὶ αἵματος

John is using a metaphor that pictures water and blood conveying Jesus to us or Jesus coming to us through water and through blood. The meaning is that Jesus became our Savior as he experienced baptism in water and submitted himself to death on the cross. Alternate translation “as our Savior, undergoing baptism and death” (See: Metaphor)

οὐκ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι καὶ ἐν τῷ αἵματι

If it sounds confusing in your language to say not in water … but in water, you could reword this to avoid repeating the phrase in water. Alternate translation: “not in water alone, but also in blood” (See: Connect — Exception Clauses)

τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν τὸ μαρτυροῦν

Alternate translation: “the Holy Spirit gives us assurance about this”

τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια

Like the statement “God is love” in 4:8 and 4:16, which describes God’s character, this is a metaphor that describes the character of the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: “the Spirit is entirely truthful” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 5:7

ὅτι τρεῖς εἰσιν οἱ μαρτυροῦντες

In this statement, John reaffirms that the three things that he mentions in verse 6 give us confidence that Jesus is the Son of God and came from him. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly. Alternate translation: “So there are three who testify that Jesus is God’s Son and came from him” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὅτι τρεῖς εἰσιν οἱ μαρτυροῦντες

See the discussion of textual issues at the end of the General Notes to this chapter to decide whether to follow the reading of ULT or to follow the reading of some late manuscripts and say in your translation, “For there are three who testify in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three who testify on earth.” As the General Notes recommend, if you decide to use the longer reading, put it inside square brackets [ ] to indicate that it was most likely not in the original version of 1 John. (See: Textual Variants)

οἱ μαρτυροῦντες

Here, John speaks of water and blood as though they were people who could testify, or speak about what they saw. If this might be confusing for your readers, you could express this meaning in a non-figurative way. Alternate translation: “ways that God has given us to know that he sent Jesus” (See: Personification)

1 John 5:8

τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ τὸ αἷμα

See how you decided to translate the terms water and blood in 5:6. Alternate translation: (1) “the baptism of Jesus and his death on the cross” or (2) “the birth of Jesus and his death on the cross” (See: Metonymy)

οἱ τρεῖς εἰς τὸ ἕν εἰσιν

This is an idiom. If this does not communicate well in your language, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: “these three all say the same thing” or “these three all agree” (See: Idiom)

1 John 5:9

εἰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνομεν

John is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something this way if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what John is saying is not certain, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “Since we receive the testimony of men” (See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνομεν

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “we believe people when they give testimony” (See: Idiom)

τῶν ἀνθρώπων

Although the term men is masculine, John is using the word in a generic sense that could include both men and women. Alternate translation: “of people” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)

ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν

The word greater implicitly means that the testimony of God is more reliable than human testimony, since God knows everything and God always tells the truth. Alternate translation: “the testimony of God is more reliable” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: “we should certainly receive the testimony of God, since it is greater” or “we should certainly believe God when he gives testimony, since his testimony is even more reliable” (See: Ellipsis)

ὅτι αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι μεμαρτύρηκεν περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

Here, For could be introducing: (1) the content of God’s testimony to his Son. In that case, the content itself comes in 5:11 after he repeats, “this is the testimony.” Verse 10 talks about the importance of believing God’s testimony. Alternate translation: “Now this is the testimony that God himself has given regarding his Son” (2) the reason why the testimony of God is greater than human testimony. Alternate translation: “After all, this is God who has told us about his own Son.”

αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ

Here, this could refer to: (1) God’s testimony, which John says in verse 11. Alternate translation: “I will tell you what God’s testimony is” (2) the three testimonies from verse 8. Alternate translation: “those things are the testimony of God” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

Son is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “his Son Jesus” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 5:10

ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἔχει τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐν αὑτῷ; ὁ μὴ πιστεύων τῷ Θεῷ, ψεύστην πεποίηκεν αὐτόν, ὅτι οὐ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἣν μεμαρτύρηκεν ὁ Θεὸς περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

This verse comes in between John’s two introductions of God’s testimony. If this is confusing in your language, you could state something explicitly that tells your reader that the testimony is still coming, as in the UST. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὁ πιστεύων

John is speaking of everyone who believes, not of any particular person. Alternate translation: “Any person who believes” (See: Generic Noun Phrases)

εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ

John implicitly means believing that Jesus is the Son of God. Alternate translation: “that Jesus is the Son of God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ

Son of God is an important title for Jesus. (See: Translating Son and Father)

ἔχει τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐν αὑτῷ

John speaks figuratively of the testimony as if it were an object that could be inside believers. Alternate translation: “completely accepts what God has said” (See: Metaphor)

τὴν μαρτυρίαν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun testimony, you could express the idea behind it with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “what God has said” (See: Abstract Nouns)

ψεύστην πεποίηκεν αὐτόν

As in 1:10, be sure that it is clear in your translation that God would not actually be a liar in this case. Rather, since God has said that Jesus is his Son, a person who did not believe that would be calling God a liar. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “is, in effect, calling God a liar” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἣν μεμαρτύρηκεν ὁ Θεὸς περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

If it is unnatural in your language to use both the noun testimony and the verb testified, you can use just one form of the word in your translation. Alternate translation: “what God has solemnly said to be true about his Son”

1 John 5:11

αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία

Alternate translation: “this is what God has said about his Son”

ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ αὕτη ἡ ζωὴ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν

If your readers would misunderstand this indirect quotation, you could express this as a direct quotation, as in the UST. (See: Direct and Indirect Quotations)

ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ αὕτη ἡ ζωὴ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν

John speaks figuratively of life as if it were an object that was inside Jesus. Alternate translation: “God gave us eternal life, which people receive by believing in his Son Jesus” (See: Metaphor)

ζωὴν αἰώνιον

As in 4:9, eternal life means two things at once. It means receiving power from God in this life to live in a new way, and it also means living forever in the presence of God after death. See how you translated the expression in 4:9. (See: Metaphor)

τῷ Υἱῷ

Son is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “his Son Jesus” (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 5:12

ὁ ἔχων τὸν Υἱὸν, ἔχει τὴν ζωήν; ὁ μὴ ἔχων τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὴν ζωὴν οὐκ ἔχει

John speaks figuratively of believers who are in a close relationship with Jesus as if Jesus were their possession. If this is confusing in your language, you can use a different expression. Alternate translation: “Anyone who is in a close relationship with the Son has life. Anyone who is not in a close relationship with the Son of God does not have life” (See: Metaphor)

ἔχει τὴν ζωήν…τὴν ζωὴν οὐκ ἔχει

Since both groups of people are physically alive, John means this in a spiritual sense. As in 4:9, he is likely referring to what he calls “eternal life” in 3:15 and 5:11. See how you translated that term in those verses. Alternate translation: “has power from God to live as a new person now and will live forever in God’s presence after death … does not have power from God to live as a new person now and will not live forever in God’s presence after death” (See: Metaphor)

τὸν Υἱὸν…τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ

The Son of God is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

1 John 5:13

If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 13. Suggested heading: “Eternal Life with the True God” (See: Section Headings)

ταῦτα

Here, these things refers back to everything that John has written so far in the letter. Alternate translation: “all of this” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ

As in 2:12, John is using the name of Jesus figuratively to represent who Jesus is and what he has done. Alternate translation: “who believe in the Son of God and what he has done for you” (See: Metonymy)

τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ

The Son of God is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

ὅτι ζωὴν ἔχετε αἰώνιον

The emphasis in this verse seems to be more on the future aspect of the expression eternal life. Alternate translation: “that you will live forever in God’s presence after you die” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 5:14

αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παρρησία ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς αὐτόν

If it would be helpful to your readers, as in 3:21 you could state explicitly what this confidence applies to, in light of what John says in the rest of this sentence. Alternate translation: “we can be confident of this as we pray to God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παρρησία ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς αὐτόν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun confidence, you could express the idea behind it with an adjective such as “confident.” Alternate translation: “we can be confident of this as we pray to God” (See: Abstract Nouns)

αὐτόν…αὐτοῦ…ἀκούει

The pronouns him, his, and he refer to God in this verse. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “God” in one or more of these instances. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ἐάν τι αἰτώμεθα κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ

Alternate translation: “if we ask for the things that God wants for us”

ἀκούει ἡμῶν

As in 4:5, the word listens is an idiom. However, the meaning here is different than the meaning there, which was, “is persuaded by.” Rather, here it refers to God being willing to grant what we ask. Alternate translation: “he is willing to give it to us” (See: Idiom)

1 John 5:15

ἐὰν οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀκούει ἡμῶν

John is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a possibility if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what John is saying is not certain, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “since we know that he listens to us” (See: Connect — Factual Conditions)

ἀκούει ἡμῶν

As in 5:14, the word listens is an idiom. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “he is willing to give us what we ask for” (See: Idiom)

ἀκούει ἡμῶν

It may be helpful to repeat the condition that John specifies in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “he is disposed to give us what we ask for if it is according to his will” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ἀκούει…αὐτοῦ

The pronouns he and him refer to God in this verse. Consider whether it might be more natural in your language to use the name “God” for he and to say him later in the verse. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἔχομεν τὰ αἰτήματα ἃ ᾐτήκαμεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

Alternate translation: “we know that we will receive what we have asked God for”

1 John 5:16

ἐάν τις ἴδῃ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτάνοντα ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον, αἰτήσει

John is describing a hypothetical situation in order to counsel his readers. UST models a way of showing this. (See: Hypothetical Situations)

τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ

See how you translated this in 2:9. Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” (See: Metaphor)

ἁμαρτάνοντα ἁμαρτίαν

If it is unnatural in your language to use both the verb sinning and the noun sin, you can use just one form of the word in your translation. Alternate translation: “committing a sin”

ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον…τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον…ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον

The word death in this verse and the next refers figuratively to spiritual death, that is, to eternal separation from God. (See the later note to this verse for a discussion of what kind of sin John may have in mind that would lead to that.) Alternate translation: “a sin that does not lead to eternal separation from God … for those whose sin will not lead to eternal separation from God … a sin that does lead to eternal separation from God” (See: Metaphor)

αἰτήσει

John is using a future statement to give an instruction and command. Alternate translation: “he should pray for that fellow believer” (See: Statements — Other Uses)

δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν

In this clause, the pronoun him refers to the believer who is sinning, and the pronoun he could refer to: (1) God, since only God can give spiritual life. Alternate translation: “God will give life to the believer who is sinning” (2) anyone, that is, the person praying. In this case, John may be picturing God giving life by means of the person’s prayers, as in James 5:15, 20. Alternate translation: “he will be God’s instrument to give life to the believer who is sinning” (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν

The word life here refers figuratively to spiritual life, that is, to eternal life with God. Alternate translation: “God will make sure that the believer who is sinning is not separated from him eternally” (See: Metaphor)

ἔστιν ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον; οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means. In the context of the whole letter, by a sin towards death, John is probably referring to behavior such as the false teachers engaged in and encouraged. As Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John explains, these false teachers claimed that it did not matter what people did in their bodies, and so they would have been committing many serious sins without feeling any conviction that their actions were wrong. This showed that they had abandoned faith in Jesus and had rejected the influence of the Holy Spirit. John implicitly corrects this false teaching again in 5:18. His statement that believers should not pray for people who behave in this way is likely descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, he is not saying that he does not want the believers to pray for them. Rather, he is explaining that it will not do any good to pray for them, since they are determined to live in a way that is contrary to faith in Jesus and the influence of the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: “There are people (such as the false teachers) who are sinning in a way that shows that they have decided to be separated from God for eternity. Praying for them is not likely to make any difference” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

1 John 5:17

πᾶσα ἀδικία ἁμαρτία ἐστίν, καὶ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία οὐ πρὸς θάνατον

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun unrighteousness, you could express the idea behind it with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “Every time we do what God does not want, that is sin” (See: Abstract Nouns)

καὶ

John is using the word and to introduce a contrasting statement that is intended to encourage the believers to whom he is writing. Alternate translation: “however,” (See: Connect — Contrast Relationship)

ἔστιν ἁμαρτία οὐ πρὸς θάνατον

See how you translated the word death in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “not every sin leads to eternal separation from God” or “not every sin causes a person to die spiritually” (See: Metaphor)

1 John 5:18

πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

See how you translated the similar expression in 2:29. Alternate translation: “everyone whose father is God” (See: Active or Passive)

πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

See whether in 2:29 you decided to explain this metaphor. Alternate translation: “everyone whose spiritual father is God” (See: Metaphor)

οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει

See how you translated this expression in 3:6. Alternate translation: “does not sin wantonly and continually” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὁ γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ

This is a description of Jesus, whom John calls “the only-begotten” in 4:9. See how you translated that expression there. Alternate translation: “Jesus, God’s actual Son”

τηρεῖ ἑαυτὸν

This could mean one of two things. Alternate translation: (1) “keeps him in a close relationship with God” or (2) “keeps him from sinning” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

ὁ πονηρὸς

As in 2:13, John is using the adjective evil as a noun in order to indicate a specific being. ULT adds one to show this. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the one who is evil” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

ὁ πονηρὸς

John is speaking figuratively of the devil by association with the way that he is evil. Alternate translation: “the devil” (See: Metonymy)

οὐχ ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ

This is an idiom. If your readers would misunderstand this idiom, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: “cannot harm him” (See: Idiom)

1 John 5:19

ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν

See how you translated the similar expression in 4:4. Alternate translation: “we are sharing life with God” or “we are living in relationship with God” (See: Idiom)

ὁ κόσμος ὅλος

John uses the term world in various ways in this letter. In this instance, it likely refers figuratively both to the people living in the world who do not honor God and to their value system. Alternate translation: “all ungodly people and their value system” (See: Metonymy)

ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται

The expression lies in figuratively represents being controlled by someone or something. Alternate translation: “is controlled by the evil one” or “is controlled by evil influences” (See: Metaphor)

τῷ πονηρῷ

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun evil, you could express the meaning behind it with an equivalent expression. This could mean: (1) John may be speaking figuratively of the devil, as in 2:13. Alternate translation: “the devil” (2) John may be speaking of evil influences. Alternate translation: “evil influences” (See: Abstract Nouns)

1 John 5:20

ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

Son of God is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

ἥκει

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means, as you may have done in 5:6. Alternate translation: “has come to earth from God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

δέδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν

If your readers would misunderstand the abstract noun understanding, you could express the idea behind it with a verb such as “understand.” Alternate translation: “has enabled us to understand” (See: Abstract Nouns)

δέδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what Jesus has enabled us to understand. Alternate translation: “has enabled us to understand the truth” or “has enabled us to understand the truth about God” (See: Abstract Nouns)

τὸν Ἀληθινόν…τῷ Ἀληθινῷ

John is using the adjective True as a noun in order to indicate a specific being. ULT adds One to show this. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the One who is true … the One who is true” (See: Nominal Adjectives)

τὸν Ἀληθινόν…τῷ Ἀληθινῷ

John is speaking figuratively of God by association with the way that he is True. This could mean: (1) The God who is genuine, in contrast to false gods. Alternate translation: “the real God … the real God” (2) The God who is true in all that he says and does. Alternate translation: “God, who always tells the truth and does what he says he will do … God, who always tells the truth and does what he says he will do” (See: Metonymy)

ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ Ἀληθινῷ, ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ, Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ

As in 2:5, John is speaking figuratively as if believers could be inside of God and Jesus. This expression describes having a close relationship with God and Jesus. Alternate translation: “we have a close relationship with the true God, with his Son Jesus Christ” (See: Metaphor)

ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ Ἀληθινῷ, ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ, Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ

This second occurrence of the True One could refer to: (1) Jesus, as the rest of the clause makes clear. In this case, John is saying that both God and Jesus are the true God, and we are in both. See the UST. (2) God, just as the first occurrence of the True One refers to God. In this case, John is saying that we are in God because of being in Jesus. Alternate translation: “we are in the True One through being in Jesus Christ, his Son” (See: Metaphor)

τῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ

Son is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς

This could refer either to (1) Jesus, who was mentioned just before, or (2) God, who was mentioned earlier. (See: Pronouns — When to Use Them)

ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος

John is expressing a single idea by using two noun phrases connected with and. The phrase eternal life describes a quality of the true God, that he gives eternal life. Alternate translation: “the true God, who gives eternal life” (See: Hendiadys)

ζωὴ αἰώνιος

As in 4:9, this means both receiving power from God in this life to live in a new way and living forever in the presence of God after death. See how you translated the expression there. (See: Metaphor)

1 John 5:21

τεκνία

See how you translated this in 2:1. Alternate translation: “You dear believers who are under my care” (See: Metaphor)

φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “stay away” (See: Idiom)

τῶν εἰδώλων

Here, idols could mean: (1) figurative idols, that is, anything that might take the place of the real God in a person’s life. Alternate translation: “anything that might take the place of God in your life” (2) literal idols, that is, statues that were worshiped as if they embodied a god. (See: Metaphor)