1 John 2:17

1 John 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
• New International Version (NIV)The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Context of 1 John 2:17

15Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world. The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever. 18Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us.

1 John 2:17 word by word

καὶ ὁ κόσμος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the worldὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• passeth awayπαράγωparagō · to passG3855
• the lustἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• butδέde · thenG1161
• he that doethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• abidethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• everαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165

Cross-references for 1 John 2:17

• Psalms 39:6Surely every man walks around like a shadow [in a charade]; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; Each one builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them.
• Psalms 73:18Surely You set the wicked-minded and immoral on slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.
• Psalms 90:9For all our days pass away in Your wrath; We have finished our years like a whispered sigh.
• Psalms 102:26Even they will perish, but You endure; Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed.
• Isaiah 40:6A voice says, “Call out [prophesy].” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” [The voice answered:] All humanity is [as frail as] grass, and all that makes it attractive [its charm, its loveliness] is [momentary] like the flower of the field.
• Matthew 24:35Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
• 1 Corinthians 7:31and those who use the world [taking advantage of its opportunities], as though they did not make full use of it. For the outward form of this world [its present social and material nature] is passing away.
• James 1:10and the rich man is to glory in being humbled [by trials revealing human frailty, knowing true riches are found in the grace of God], for like the flower of the grass he will pass away.
• James 4:14Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air].
• 1 Peter 1:24For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers And the flower falls off,
• Psalms 143:10Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You], For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
• Matthew 21:31Which of the two did the will of the father?” The chief priests and elders replied, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
• Mark 3:35For whoever does the will of God [by believing in Me, and following Me], he is My brother and sister and mother.”
• John 7:17If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know whether the teaching is of God or whether I speak on My own accord and by My own authority.
• Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

Commentaries on 1 John 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The world passeth away - All these things are continually fading and perishing; and the very state in which they are possessed is changing perpetually, and the earth and its works will be shortly burnt up. And the lust thereof - The men of this world, their vain pursuits, and delusive pleasures, are passing away in their successive generations, and their very memory perishes; but he that doeth the will of God - that seeks the pleasure, profit, and honor…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17And the world passeth away - Everything properly constituting this world where religion is excluded. The reference here does not seem to be so much to the material world, as to the scenes of show and vanity which make up the world. These things are passing away like the shifting scenes of the stage. See the notes at 1 Corinthians 7:31. And the lust thereof - All that is here so much the object of desire. These things are like a pageant, which only amuses…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, and they are to be used by his grace, and to his glory; but believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which sin abuses them. The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays. The things of the world are classed according to the three ruling inclinations of depraved…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17The world is a morally evil system that is under the influence of Satan and is opposed to God and to Christ’s kingdom on this earth (2:16; 3:1; 4:4; 5:19; John 12:31; 15:18; Ephesians 6:11–12; James 4:4). The world appeals to people’s fleshly desires and turns them away from God. People who belong to the world in this way need God to rescue them from it.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. the world--with all who are of the world worldly. passeth away--Greek, "is passing away" even now. the lust thereof--in its threefold manifestation (1Jo 2:16). he that doeth the will of God--not his own fleshly will, or the will of the world, but that of God (1Jo 2:3, 6), especially in respect to love. abideth for ever--"even as God also abideth for ever" (with whom the godly is one; compare Psa 55:19, "God, even He that abideth of old): a true…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:17

• Covetousness
• Immortality
• Lust
• Obedience
• Righteous
• Worldliness
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• will of God
• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Holy Spirit
• Johannine Theology

Commentaries on 1 John 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings