1 John 2:9

1 John 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
• New International Version (NIV)Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

Context of 1 John 2:9

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. 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. The one who says he is in the light but still hates his fellow Christian is still in the darkness. 10The one who loves his fellow Christian resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11But the one who hates his fellow Christian is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:9 word by word

ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• he isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the lightὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hatethμισέωmiseō · to hateG3404
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• darknessσκοτίαskotia · darknessG4653
• even untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• nowἄρτιarti · nowG737

Cross-references for 1 John 2:9

• 1 John 2:4The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.
• 1 John 1:6If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.
• John 9:41Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.”
• Romans 2:18and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law,
• 1 John 3:13Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
• 1 John 2:11But the one who hates his fellow Christian is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• Psalms 82:5They neither know nor understand. They stumble around in the dark, while all the foundations of the earth crumble.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
• 2 Peter 1:9But concerning the one who lacks such things – he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9He that saith he is in the light - He that professes to be a convert to Christianity, even in the lowest degree; and hateth his brother - not only does not love him, but wills and does him evil, as the Jews did the Gentiles; is in darkness - has received no saving knowledge of the truth; and, whatever he may pretend, is in heathen ignorance, or even worse than heathen ignorance, to the present time, notwithstanding the clear shining of the light of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9He that saith he is in the light - That he has true religion, or is a Christian. See 1 John 1:7. And hateth his brother - The word “brother” seems here to refer to those who professed the same religion. The word is indeed sometimes used in a larger sense, but the reference here appears to be to that which is properly brotherly love among Christians. Compare Lucke, in loc. Is in darkness even until now - That is, he cannot have true religion unless he has…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. 9his brother: The Greek word adelphos is a general term often used to refer to both male and female members of the same family (also in 2:11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-119-11. There is no mean between light and darkness, love and hatred, life and death, God and the world: wherever spiritual life is, however weak, there darkness and death no longer reign, and love supplants hatred; and Lu 9:50 holds good: wherever life is not, there death, darkness, the flesh, the world, and hatred, however glossed over and hidden from man's observation, prevail; and Lu 11:23 holds good. "Where love is not, there hatred is; for the heart…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:9

• Blindness
• Darkness
• Fraternity
• Hatred
• Hypocrisy
• Love
• Malice

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Brother
• Commandment, the New
• 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