1 John 2:19

1 John 2:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
• New International Version (NIV)They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
• New Living Translation (NLT)These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

Context of 1 John 2:19

17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

1 John 2:19 word by word

ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They wentἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• out fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• they wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• they wouldἄνan · ifG302
• have continuedμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they might be made manifestφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956

Cross-references for 1 John 2:19

• Deuteronomy 13:13that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known,
• Psalms 41:9Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
• Matthew 13:20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
• Mark 4:5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil.
• Luke 8:13And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.
• John 15:2Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
• Acts 15:24Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,
• Acts 20:30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
• 2 Peter 2:20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
• Jude 1:19It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
• Job 17:9Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger.
• Psalms 37:28For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
• Psalms 125:1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
• Jeremiah 32:38And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
• Matthew 24:24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
• Mark 13:22For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19They went out from us - These heretics had belonged to our Christian assemblies, they professed Christianity, and do so still; but we apostles did not commission them to preach to you, for they have disgraced the Divine doctrine with the most pernicious opinions; they have given up or explained away its most essential principles; they have mingled the rest with heathenish rites and Jewish glosses. While, therefore, we acknowledge that they once belonged…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19They went out from us - From the church. That is, they had once been professors of the religion of the Saviour, though their apostasy showed that they never had any true piety. John refers to the fact that they had once been in the church, perhaps to remind those to whom he wrote that they knew them well, and could readily appreciate their character. It was a humiliating statement that those who showed themselves to be so utterly opposed to religion had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 Every man is an antichrist, who denies the Person, or any of the offices of Christ; and in denying the Son, he denies the Father also, and has no part in his favour while he rejects his great salvation. Let this prophecy that seducers would rise in the Christian world, keep us from being seduced. The church knows not well who are its true members, and who are not, but thus true Christians were proved, and rendered more watchful and humble…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19They went out from us: This is John’s first clear statement about the false teachers. At one time, these teachers were part of the church community. They shared fellowship with John and with the other apostles. Later, they chose to leave that fellowship. They also formed a separate and exclusive group that followed false teachings about Jesus (see 4:1; 2 John 1:7; 3 John 1:9–10). none of them belonged to us: True Christians would have remained in…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. out from us--from our Christian communion. Not necessarily a formal secession or going out: thus Rome has spiritually gone out, though formally still of the Christian Church. not of us--by spiritual fellowship (1Jo 1:3). "They are like bad humors in the body of Christ, the Church: when they are vomited out, then the body is relieved; the body of Christ is now still under treatment, and has not yet attained the perfect soundness which it shall have…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:19

• Hypocrisy
• Perseverance

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• 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