New English Translation
1 John 2:7
7Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have already heard.
1 John 2:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
- New International Version (NIV)Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
Context of 1 John 2:7
5But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. 6The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked. Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have already heard. 8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9The one who says he is in the light but still hates his fellow Christian is still in the darkness.
Read all of 1 John 21 John 2:7 word by word
Ἀγαπητοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν ἀλλ᾽ ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατεRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- I writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- noοὐou · noG3756
- newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
- commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- oldπαλαιόςpalaios · oldG3820
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ye hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
- Theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
Cross-references for 1 John 2:7
- 1 John 3:11For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another,
- Acts 17:19So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming?
- 2 John 1:5But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.
- Leviticus 19:18You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 6:5You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.
- Matthew 5:43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’
- Matthew 22:37Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
- Mark 12:29Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
- Romans 13:8Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Galatians 5:13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
- James 2:8But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Commentaries on 1 John 2:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Brethren, I write no new commandment - There seems a contradiction between this and the next verse. But the apostle appears to speak, not so much of any difference in the essence of the precept itself, as in reference to the degrees of light and grace belonging to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations. It was ever the command of God that men should receive his light, walk by that light, and love him and one another. But this commandment was renewed by…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you - That is, what I am now enjoining is not new. It is the same doctrine which you have always heard. There has been much difference of opinion as to what is referred to by the word “commandment,” whether it is the injunction in the previous verse to live as Christ lived, or whether it is what he refers to in the following verses, the duty of brotherly love. Perhaps neither of these is exactly the idea of the…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. 7-11The disciples received this commandment (to love one another) from the very beginning. They received it from Jesus himself and from the Old Testament (John 13:34–35; Leviticus 19:18, 33–34).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Brethren--The oldest manuscripts and versions read instead, "Beloved," appropriate to the subject here, love. no new commandment--namely, love, the main principle of walking as Christ walked (1Jo 2:6), and that commandment, of which one exemplification is presently given, 1Jo 2:9, 10, the love of brethren. ye had from the beginning--from the time that ye first heard the Gospel word preached.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 2:7
In the dictionaries
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
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