1 John 2:3

1 John 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
• New International Version (NIV)We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

Context of 1 John 2:3

1I am writing this letter to you, my friends who are like my little children. I am writing to you because I do not want you to do wrong things. But if anyone among you does something wrong, there is someone who will speak to God on our behalf. That person is Jesus Christ, who always does only what is right. He will ask our Father God to forgive you. 2Jesus died as a sacrifice to take the punishment for our sin. Then God could forgive us. Jesus did that not only for us. He did it for all people in the world, so that God could forgive them for their sins. This is how we can be sure that we know God: If we obey God's commands, we know that we belong to him. 4Someone may say, ‘I belong to God.’ But if he does not obey God's commands, that person is telling a lie. He is not living in the way that God's true message teaches us. 5But anyone who obeys God's message shows that he really loves God completely. So this is how we know that we belong to God.

1 John 2:3 word by word

καὶ ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτόν, ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• herebyοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• weγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• doἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• we keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• commandmentsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785

Cross-references for 1 John 2:3

• 1 John 2:4Someone may say, ‘I belong to God.’ But if he does not obey God's commands, that person is telling a lie. He is not living in the way that God's true message teaches us.
• 1 John 3:14We know that we now have new life with God. Death no longer has power over us. We know this because we love our Christian friends. But anyone who does not love other believers is still under the power of death.
• 1 John 4:13God has given us his Holy Spirit to live in us. Because of this, we know that we live together with God. And we know that he lives with us.
• 1 John 5:19We know that we belong to God. We know that Satan rules all the people who belong to this world.
• Isaiah 53:11When God's servant sees the result of his pain, he will understand what he has done. And he will be happy. The Lord says, ‘My righteous servant will cause many people to be “not guilty”, because he will take the punishment for all their sins.
• 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.
• 2 Corinthians 4:6God is the one who said, ‘Let light shine in the dark.’ And he is the one who has caused his light to shine deep inside us. Because of that, we know how great and powerful God is. We see that his power shines brightly in Christ's face.
• 1 John 3:22We can pray to God and we can ask him to help us. He will give us what we ask him for. That is because we obey his commands and we do the things that please him.
• 1 John 5:3Because, if we really love God, we will obey his commands. And those commands are not difficult for us to obey.
• Psalms 119:6When I remember all your commands, I will not be ashamed.
• Luke 6:46Jesus said, ‘If you refuse to obey me, do not call me, “Master, Master.”
• John 14:15Jesus then said, ‘If you love me, do what I have told you to do.
• John 15:10If you obey what I have told you, you will be living in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed what my Father has told me to do. In that way, I live in his love.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1Christian friends, there are a few more things that we need to say. We have already taught you how to live in a way that pleases God. And we know that you are living in that way. Now we ask you to continue to live like that even more. On behalf of the Lord Jesus, we seriously ask you to do this.
• Hebrews 5:9As a result, Jesus became the person who can save everyone who obeys him. Because of Jesus, God forgives their sins for ever.
• Revelation 22:14Believers who keep themselves clean will be happy. They are like people who always wash their clothes. I will let them eat the fruit from the tree that causes people to have true life. I will let them go through the gates into the city.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And hereby we do know that we know him - If we keep the commandments of God, loving him with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves, we have the fullest proof that we have the true saving knowledge of God and his Christ. The Gnostics pretended to much knowledge, but their knowledge left them in possession of all their bad passions and unholy habits; they, therefore, gave no proof that they had known either God or his Son Jesus - nor is any man…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And hereby we do know that we know him - To wit, by that which follows, we have evidence that we are truly acquainted with him, and with the requirements of his religion; that is, that we are truly his friends. The word “him” in this verse, seems to refer to the Saviour. On the meaning of the word “know,” see the notes at John 17:3. The apostle had stated in the previous part of this Epistle some of the leading points revealed by the Christian religion…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. 33. hereby--Greek, "in this." "It is herein," and herein only, that we know (present tense) that we have knowledge of (perfect tense, once-for-all obtained and continuing knowledge of) Him" (1Jo 2:4, 13, 14). Tokens whereby to discern grace are frequently given in this Epistle. The Gnostics, by the Spirit's prescient forewarning, are refuted, who boasted of knowledge, but set aside obedience. "Know Him," namely, as "the righteous" (1Jo 2:1, 29); our…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:3

• Obedience
• Righteous
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Assurance
• Faith
• Lie
• Stumble
• Hereby
• John, the Epistles of
• John, the First Epistle General 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