Amplified Bible
1 John 2:4
4Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him.
1 John 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Context of 1 John 2:4
2And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world. 3And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings). Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him. 5But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: 6whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.
Read all of 1 John 21 John 2:4 word by word
Ὁ λέγων ὅτι ἔγνωκα αὐτὸν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστίν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He that saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- I knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- keepethτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
- notμήmē · notG3361
- commandmentsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- a liarψεύστηςpseustēs · liarG5583
- the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
- notοὐou · noG3756
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
Cross-references for 1 John 2:4
- 1 John 2:9The one who says he is in the Light [in consistent fellowship with Christ] and yet habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in the darkness until now.
- 1 John 1:6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth;
- 1 John 4:20If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
- James 2:14What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.]
- Hosea 8:2Then they will cry out to Me, “My God, we of Israel know You!”
Commentaries on 1 John 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4He that saith, I know him - This is a severe blow against those false teachers, and against all pretenders to religious knowledge, who live under the power of their sins; and against all Antinomians, and false boasters in the righteousness of Christ as a covering for their personal unholiness. They are all liars, and no truth of God is in them.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4He that saith, I know Him - He who professes to be acquainted with the Saviour, or who professes to be a Christian. And keepeth not his commandments - What he has appointed to be observed by his people; that is, he who does not obey him. Is a liar - Makes a false profession; professes to have that which he really has not. Such a profession is a falsehood, because there can be no true religion where one does not obey the law of God.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-11Verses 3-11 What knowledge of Christ can that be, which sees not that he is most worthy of our entire obedience? And a disobedient life shows there is neither religion nor honesty in the professor. The love of God is perfected in him that keeps his commandments. God's grace in him attains its true mark, and produces its sovereign effect as far as may be in this world, and this is man's regeneration; though never absolutely perfect here. Yet this observing…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-6Obedience is one clear indication that we know Christ and belong to him. If we do not obey Christ, it is obvious that we do not belong to him or love him. As we obey Christ and his commandments, our love for God and our knowledge of him will grow toward completeness and maturity. We will walk as Jesus walked, united with God and showing love for others.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. I know--Greek, "I have knowledge of (perfect) Him." Compare with this verse 1Jo 1:8.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 2:4
In the dictionaries
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
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