1 John 2:4

1 John 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Context of 1 John 2:4

2He is the payment for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3We are sure that we know Christ if we obey his commandments. The person who says, “I know him,” but doesn’t obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn’t in that person. 5But whoever obeys what Christ says is the kind of person in whom God’s love is perfected. That’s how we know we are in Christ. 6Those who say that they live in him must live the same way he lived.

1 John 2:4 word by word

Ὁ λέγων ὅτι ἔγνωκα αὐτὸν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστίν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• I knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• keepethτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• notμήmē · notG3361
• commandmentsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a liarψεύστηςpseustēs · liarG5583
• the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• notοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for 1 John 2:4

• 1 John 2:9Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark.
• 1 John 1:6If we say, “We have a relationship with God” and yet live in the dark, we’re lying. We aren’t being truthful.
• 1 John 4:20Whoever says, “I love God,” but hates another believer is a liar. People who don’t love other believers, whom they have seen, can’t love God, whom they have not seen.
• James 2:14My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn’t do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him?
• Hosea 8:2They cry out to me, ‘We acknowledge you as our God.’

Commentaries on 1 John 2:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4He that saith, I know him - This is a severe blow against those false teachers, and against all pretenders to religious knowledge, who live under the power of their sins; and against all Antinomians, and false boasters in the righteousness of Christ as a covering for their personal unholiness. They are all liars, and no truth of God is in them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4He that saith, I know Him - He who professes to be acquainted with the Saviour, or who professes to be a Christian. And keepeth not his commandments - What he has appointed to be observed by his people; that is, he who does not obey him. Is a liar - Makes a false profession; professes to have that which he really has not. Such a profession is a falsehood, because there can be no true religion where one does not obey the law of God.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. 44. I know--Greek, "I have knowledge of (perfect) Him." Compare with this verse 1Jo 1:8.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:4

• Blindness
• Confession
• Hypocrisy
• Obedience
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Johannine Theology
• 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