1 John 2:11

1 John 2:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

Context of 1 John 2:11

9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. 12I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

1 John 2:11 word by word

ὁ δὲ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• he that hatethμισέωmiseō · to hateG3404
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• brotherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• darknessσκοτίαskotia · darknessG4653
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• walkethπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• knowethεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• notοὐou · noG3756
• whitherπούpou · somewhereG4225
• he goethὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• hath blindedτυφλόωtuphloō · to blindG5186
• eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788

Cross-references for 1 John 2:11

• 1 John 2:9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
• John 12:35Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
• Proverbs 4:19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
• John 12:40“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”
• 2 Corinthians 3:14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Revelation 3:17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness - He is still in his heathen or unconverted state; and walketh in darkness, his conduct being a proof of that state; and knoweth not whither he goeth - having no proper knowledge of God or eternal things; and cannot tell whether he is going to heaven or hell, because that darkness has blinded his eyes - darkened his whole soul, mind, and heart.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11But he that hateth his brother - The word here used would, in this connection, include both the mere absence of love, and positive hatred. It is designed to include the whole of that state of mind where there is not love for the brethren. Is in darkness - 1 John 2:9. And walketh in darkness - He is like one who walks in the dark, and who sees no object distinctly. See the notes at John 12:35. And knoweth not whither he goeth - Like one in the dark. He…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. 9-11Another sign that a person truly knows Christ is how that person treats other Christians. John again speaks about people who claim to have special spiritual knowledge but separate themselves from other believers and act as if they are better than others. John says that this attitude is a form of hatred.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 2:11

• Blindness
• Darkness
• Fraternity
• Hatred
• Love
• Malice
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Commandment, the New
• Dark; Darkness
• 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