1 John 5:2

1 John 5:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
• New International Version (NIV)This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
• English Standard Version (ESV)By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
• New King James Version (NKJV)By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

Context of 1 John 5:2

1Everyone who believes [with a deep, abiding trust in the fact] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is born of God [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose], and everyone who loves the Father also loves the child born of Him. By this we know [without any doubt] that we love the children of God: [expressing that love] when we love God and obey His commandments. 3For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey]. 4For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].

1 John 5:2 word by word

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅταν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπῶμεν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ποιῶμεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• we knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• we loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• the childrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785

Cross-references for 1 John 5:2

• 1 John 3:22and we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].
• 1 John 4:21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should also [unselfishly] love his brother and seek the best for him.
• John 13:34I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.
• John 15:17This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

Commentaries on 1 John 5:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2By this we know that we love the children of God - Our love of God's followers is a proof that we love God. Our love to God is the cause why we love his children, and our keeping the commandments of God is the proof that we love him.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2By this we know that we love the children of God … - This is repeating the same truth in another form. “As it is universally true that if we love Him who has begotten us, we shall also love His children, or our Christian brethren, so it is true also that if we love His children it will follow that we love Him.” In other places, the apostle says that we may know that we love God if we love those who bear His image, 1 John 3:14. He here says, that there is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God have been born spiritually as children of God (see John 20:31). The Spirit of God empowers them to love God and others. Their faith helps them obey God and resist the evil temptations in the world. Through faith, they can love and obey God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. By--Greek, "In." As our love to the brethren is the sign and test of our love to God, so (John here says) our love to God (tested by our "keeping his commandments") is, conversely, the ground and only true basis of love to our brother. we know--John means here, not the outward criteria of genuine brotherly love, but the inward spiritual criteria of it, consciousness of love to God manifested in a hearty keeping of His commandments. When we have this…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 5:2

• Love
• Obedience
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Children of God
• Idol
• Brotherly Kindness; Brotherly Love
• Hope
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of
• Christ, Messiah

Commentaries on 1 John 5

• 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
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• 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