1 John 2:9

1 John 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
• New International Version (NIV)Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

Context of 1 John 2:9

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]. 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. The 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. 10The one who loves and unselfishly seeks the best for his [believing] brother lives in the Light, and in him there is no occasion for stumbling or offense [he does not hurt the cause of Christ or lead others to sin]. 11But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:9 word by word

ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• he isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the lightὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hatethμισέωmiseō · to hateG3404
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• darknessσκοτίαskotia · darknessG4653
• even untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• nowἄρτιarti · nowG737

Cross-references for 1 John 2:9

• 1 John 2:4Whoever 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 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;
• John 9:41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.
• Romans 2:18and [if you claim to] know His will and approve the things that are essential or have a sense of what is excellent, based on your instruction from the Law,
• 1 John 3:13Do not be surprised, believers, if the world hates you.
• 1 John 2:11But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• Psalms 82:5The rulers do not know nor do they understand; They walk on in the darkness [of complacent satisfaction]; All the foundations of the earth [the fundamental principles of the administration of justice] are shaken.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction].
• 2 Peter 1:9For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9He that saith he is in the light - He that professes to be a convert to Christianity, even in the lowest degree; and hateth his brother - not only does not love him, but wills and does him evil, as the Jews did the Gentiles; is in darkness - has received no saving knowledge of the truth; and, whatever he may pretend, is in heathen ignorance, or even worse than heathen ignorance, to the present time, notwithstanding the clear shining of the light of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9He that saith he is in the light - That he has true religion, or is a Christian. See 1 John 1:7. And hateth his brother - The word “brother” seems here to refer to those who professed the same religion. The word is indeed sometimes used in a larger sense, but the reference here appears to be to that which is properly brotherly love among Christians. Compare Lucke, in loc. Is in darkness even until now - That is, he cannot have true religion unless he has…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. 9his brother: The Greek word adelphos is a general term often used to refer to both male and female members of the same family (also in 2:11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-119-11. There is no mean between light and darkness, love and hatred, life and death, God and the world: wherever spiritual life is, however weak, there darkness and death no longer reign, and love supplants hatred; and Lu 9:50 holds good: wherever life is not, there death, darkness, the flesh, the world, and hatred, however glossed over and hidden from man's observation, prevail; and Lu 11:23 holds good. "Where love is not, there hatred is; for the heart…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:9

• Blindness
• Darkness
• Fraternity
• Hatred
• Hypocrisy
• Love
• Malice

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Brother
• Commandment, the New
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of

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