1 John 2:21

1 John 2:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
• New International Version (NIV)I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Context of 1 John 2:21

19They left us. However, they were never really part of us. If they had been, they would have stayed with us. But by leaving they made it clear that none of them were part of us. 20The Holy One has anointed you, so all of you have knowledge. I’m writing to you because you know the truth, not because you don’t know the truth. You know that no lie ever comes from the truth. 22Who is a liar? Who else but the person who rejects Jesus as the Messiah? The person who rejects the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23Everyone who rejects the Son doesn’t have the Father either. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father.

1 John 2:21 word by word

οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτὴν καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I haveγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• notοὐou · noG3756
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• the truthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• ·πᾶςpas · allG3956
• lieψεῦδοςpseudos · lieG5579
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537

Cross-references for 1 John 2:21

• Proverbs 1:5a wise person will listen and continue to learn, and an understanding person will gain direction—
• Proverbs 9:8Do not warn a mocker, or he will hate you. Warn a wise person, and he will love you.
• Romans 15:14I’m convinced, brothers and sisters, that you, too, are filled with goodness. I’m also convinced that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to instruct each other.
• 2 Peter 1:12Therefore, I will always remind you about these qualities, although you already know about them and are well-grounded in the truth that you now have.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I have not written, etc. - It is not because ye are ignorant of these things that I write to you, but because you know them, and can by these judge of the doctrines of those false teachers, and clearly perceive that they are liars; for they contradict the truth which ye have already received, and consequently their doctrine is a lie, and no lie can be of the truth, i.e. consistent with Christianity.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth - You are not to regard my writing to you in this earnest manner as any evidence that I do not suppose you to be acquainted with religion and its duties. Some, perhaps, might have been disposed to put this construction on what he had said, but he assures them that that was not the reason why he had thus addressed them. The very fact that they did understand the subject of religion, he says, was…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. 20-23You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One: The Holy Spirit gives Christians the ability to recognize spiritual truth (see Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). Those who have the Spirit know the truth about the Father and the Son. They can also identify teachings that do not match the apostles' teachings.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. but because ye know it, and that, &c.--Ye not only know what is the truth (concerning the Son and the Father, 1Jo 2:13), but also are able to detect a lie as a thing opposed to the truth. For right (a straight line) is the index of itself and of what is crooked [Estius]. The Greek is susceptible of Alford's translation, "Because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth" (literally, "every lie is excluded from being of the truth"). I therefore…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:21

• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit
• John, the Epistles of
• Truth

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