Amplified Bible
1 John 2:7
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].
1 John 2:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
- New International Version (NIV)Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
Context of 1 John 2:7
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. Beloved, 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]. 8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true and realized in Christ and in you, because the darkness [of moral blindness] is clearing away and the true Light [the revelation of God in Christ] is already shining. 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.
Read all of 1 John 21 John 2:7 word by word
Ἀγαπητοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν ἀλλ᾽ ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατεRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- I writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- noοὐou · noG3756
- newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
- commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- oldπαλαιόςpalaios · oldG3820
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ye hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
- Theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
Cross-references for 1 John 2:7
- 1 John 3:11For this is the message which you [believers] have heard from the beginning [of your relationship with Christ], that we should [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another;
- Acts 17:19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus (Hill of Ares, the Greek god of war), saying, “May we know what this [strange] new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
- 2 John 1:5Now I ask you, lady, not as if I were writing to you a new commandment, but [simply reminding you of] the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.
- Leviticus 19:18You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 6:5You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].
- Matthew 5:43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’
- Matthew 22:37And Jesus replied to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
- Mark 12:29Jesus answered, “The first and most important one is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord;
- Romans 13:8Owe nothing to anyone except to love and seek the best for one another; for he who [unselfishly] loves his neighbor has fulfilled the [essence of the] law [relating to one’s fellowman].
- Galatians 5:13For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another.
- James 2:8If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well.
Commentaries on 1 John 2:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Brethren, I write no new commandment - There seems a contradiction between this and the next verse. But the apostle appears to speak, not so much of any difference in the essence of the precept itself, as in reference to the degrees of light and grace belonging to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations. It was ever the command of God that men should receive his light, walk by that light, and love him and one another. But this commandment was renewed by…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you - That is, what I am now enjoining is not new. It is the same doctrine which you have always heard. There has been much difference of opinion as to what is referred to by the word “commandment,” whether it is the injunction in the previous verse to live as Christ lived, or whether it is what he refers to in the following verses, the duty of brotherly love. Perhaps neither of these is exactly the idea of the…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. 7-11The disciples received this commandment (to love one another) from the very beginning. They received it from Jesus himself and from the Old Testament (John 13:34–35; Leviticus 19:18, 33–34).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Brethren--The oldest manuscripts and versions read instead, "Beloved," appropriate to the subject here, love. no new commandment--namely, love, the main principle of walking as Christ walked (1Jo 2:6), and that commandment, of which one exemplification is presently given, 1Jo 2:9, 10, the love of brethren. ye had from the beginning--from the time that ye first heard the Gospel word preached.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 2:7
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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