Amplified Bible
1 John 2:5
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:
1 John 2:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
- New International Version (NIV)But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:
- English Standard Version (ESV)but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
- New King James Version (NKJV)But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
Context of 1 John 2:5
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). 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. But 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. 7Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [before from us].
Read all of 1 John 21 John 2:5 word by word
ὃς δ᾽ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ τετελείωται. ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- whosoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
- keepethτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- wordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- verilyἀληθῶςalēthōs · trulyG230
- isτελειόωteleioō · to perfectG5048
- the loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- know weγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
Cross-references for 1 John 2:5
- 1 John 2:3And 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).
- Psalms 105:45So that they might observe His precepts And keep His laws [obediently accepting and honoring and valuing them]. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
- Psalms 106:3Blessed are those who observe justice [by honoring God’s precepts], Who practice righteousness at all times.
- Psalms 119:2Blessed and favored by God are those who keep His testimonies, And who [consistently] seek Him and long for Him with all their heart.
- Proverbs 8:32“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways.
- Proverbs 28:7He who keeps the law [of God and man] is a wise and discerning son, But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father [and himself].
- Ecclesiastes 8:5Whoever keeps and observes a royal command will experience neither trouble nor misery; For a wise heart will know the proper time and [appropriate] procedure.
- Ezekiel 36:27I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them.
- Luke 11:28But He said, “On the contrary, blessed (happy, favored by God) are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”
- John 14:21The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].”
- Revelation 12:17So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went off to wage war on the rest of her children (seed), those who keep and obey the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus [holding firmly to it and bearing witness to Him].
- Revelation 14:12Here is [encouragement for] the steadfast endurance of the saints (God’s people), those who habitually keep God’s commandments and their faith in Jesus.
- 1 John 4:12No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us.
- James 2:22You see that [his] faith was working together with his works, and as a result of the works, his faith was completed [reaching its maturity when he expressed his faith through obedience].
- 1 John 2:27As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].
- 1 John 3:24The one who habitually keeps His commandments [obeying His word and following His precepts, abides and] remains in Him, and He in him. By this we know and have the proof that He [really] abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us [as a gift].
Commentaries on 1 John 2:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5But whoso keepeth his word - Conscientiously observes his doctrine, the spirit and letter of the religion of Christ. Is the love of God perfected - The design of God's love in sending Jesus Christ into the world to die for the sin of man , is accomplished, in that man who receives the doctrine, and applies for the salvation provided for him. This seems to be the meaning of the apostle. That we are in him - That we have entered into his spirit and views…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5But whoso keepeth his word - That is, what he has spoken or commanded, The term “word” here will include all that he has made known to us as his will in regard to our conduct. In him verily is the love of God perfected - He professes to have the love of God in his heart, and that love receives its completion or filling up by obedience to the will of God. That obedience is the proper carrying out, or the exponent of the love which exists in the heart. Love…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. 55. Not merely repeating the proposition, 1Jo 2:3, or asserting the merely opposite alternative to 1Jo 2:4, but expanding the "know Him" of 1Jo 2:3, into "in Him, verily (not as a matter of vain boasting) is the love of (that is towards) God perfected," and "we are in Him." Love here answers to knowledge in 1Jo 2:3. In proportion as we love God, in that same proportion we know Him, and vice versa, until our love and knowledge shall attain their full…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 2:5
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
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries