1 John 2:13

1 John 2:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
• New International Version (NIV)I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

Context of 1 John 2:13

11But if someone hates other believers, he is still living in a bad way. He is like someone who is walking in the dark. He cannot see where he is going. He is like a blind person. He cannot understand God's true message. 12My little children, I am writing to you because God has forgiven your sins. He has done this because of Christ. You who are older, like fathers, I am writing to you because you know Christ. He has always been there, since before the world began. You who are young men, I am writing to you because you have won against Satan. 14Yes, my children, I have written to you because you know God, our Father. Fathers, I have written to you because you know Christ. He was already there before the world began. Young men, I have written to you because you are strong. You continue to obey God's message, and you have won against Satan. 15Do not live like people who do not know God. Do not love the wrong things that belong to this world. If anyone loves those things, it shows that they do not love God, their Father.

1 John 2:13 word by word

γράφω ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς. γράφω ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ye have knownγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• young menνεανίσκοςneaniskos · young manG3495
• ye have overcomeνικάωnikaō · to conquerG3528
• the wicked oneπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• little childrenπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• the Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588

Cross-references for 1 John 2:13

• 1 John 2:14Yes, my children, I have written to you because you know God, our Father. Fathers, I have written to you because you know Christ. He was already there before the world began. Young men, I have written to you because you are strong. You continue to obey God's message, and you have won against Satan.
• 1 Timothy 5:1Do not speak strongly to an older man and tell him what he must do. Instead, ask him in a kind way, as you would speak to your father. Speak to younger men as you would speak to your brothers.
• 1 John 2:3This is how we can be sure that we know God: If we obey God's commands, we know that we belong to him.
• 1 John 5:20We also know that the Son of God has come into the world. He has helped us to understand what is true. As a result, we know the only true God. We live together with this true God, because we belong to his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God. He is the one who gives us life with God for ever.
• Psalms 91:14The Lord says, ‘If someone loves me, I will keep him safe. Because he worships me, I will protect him.
• Luke 10:22Jesus then said, ‘My Father has given me authority over all things. Only the Father knows who I am, his Son. Only I know who the Father is, because I am his Son. I also choose to tell some people about him. Then they also know him.’
• John 8:19Then they asked him, ‘So where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know either me or my Father. If you really knew me, you would also know my Father.’
• John 14:7If you really know me, you will also know my Father. From now on, you do know him and you have seen him.’
• John 17:3What does it mean for people to live with you for ever? It means that they know you, the one who is the only true God. They also know me, Jesus Christ, the one that you have sent.
• 1 John 1:1We have an important message to tell you. We want to tell you about the person who was already there before the beginning of the world. We have heard him speak. We have seen him with our own eyes. We watched him and we touched him. He is the Word that gives us life with God.
• Psalms 90:2From before the mountains began, and before you made the world, you were already there, as God. You have no beginning and no end.
• Psalms 148:12Praise him, young men and young women. Praise him, old men, as well as children.
• Proverbs 20:29Young men boast about their strength. Old men are proud of their beautiful grey hair.
• Joel 2:28After that, I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will be prophets. Your old men will dream and your young men will see pictures in their minds. (The Lord will send these to them.)
• Zechariah 9:17The people will be beautiful and good. The young people will become strong when they eat good bread. The young women will become strong when they drink new wine.
• 1 John 4:4My little children, you belong to God. You have won against those people with a false message. You have been able to do that because God's Holy Spirit is in you. He is more powerful than the spirit that belongs to this world.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13I write unto you, fathers - By fathers it is very likely that the apostle means persons who had embraced Christianity on its first promulgation in Judea and in the Lesser Asia, some of them had probably seen Christ in the flesh; for this appears to be what is meant by, Ye have known him from the beginning. These were the elders and eye witnesses, who were of the longest standing in the Church, and well established in the truths of the Gospel, and in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13I write unto you, fathers - As there were special reasons for writing to children, so there were also for writing to those who were more mature in life. The class here addressed would embrace all those who were in advance of the ́́ neaniskoior young men, and would properly include those who were at the head of families. Because ye have known him that is from the beginning - That is, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notes, 1 John 1:1. The argument is, that they had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 As Christians have their peculiar states, so they have peculiar duties; but there are precepts and obedience common to all, particularly mutual love, and contempt of the world. The youngest sincere disciple is pardoned: the communion of saints is attended with the forgiveness of sins. Those of the longest standing in Christ's school need further advice and instruction. Even fathers must be written unto, and preached unto; none are too old to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-14John describes three groups of Christians at different stages of spiritual growth: God's children, the young in the faith (literally young people), and the mature in the faith (literally fathers).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. All three classes are first addressed in the present. "I write"; then in the past (aorist) tense, "I wrote" (not "I have written"; moreover, in the oldest manuscripts and versions, in the end of 1Jo 2:13, it is past, "I wrote," not as English Version, "I write"). Two classes, "fathers" and "young men," are addressed with the same words each time (except that the address to the young men has an addition expressing the source and means of their…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:13

• Children
• God
• Righteous
• Satan
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Catechist; Catechumen
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of
• Satan

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