1 John 2:13

1 John 2:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I 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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.

Context of 1 John 2:13

11But 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. I 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. 14I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

1 John 2:13 word by word

γράφω ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς. γράφω ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ye have knownγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• young menνεανίσκοςneaniskos · young manG3495
• ye have overcomeνικάωnikaō · to conquerG3528
• the wicked oneπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• little childrenπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• the Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588

Cross-references for 1 John 2:13

• 1 John 2:14I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
• 1 Timothy 5:1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
• 1 John 2:3We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
• 1 John 5:20We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
• Psalms 91:14“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
• Luke 10:22“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
• John 8:19Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
• John 14:7If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
• John 17:3Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
• 1 John 1:1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
• Psalms 90:2Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
• Psalms 148:12young men and women, old men and children.
• Proverbs 20:29The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.
• Joel 2:28“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
• Zechariah 9:17How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.
• 1 John 4:4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Commentaries on 1 John 2:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13I write unto you, fathers - By fathers it is very likely that the apostle means persons who had embraced Christianity on its first promulgation in Judea and in the Lesser Asia, some of them had probably seen Christ in the flesh; for this appears to be what is meant by, Ye have known him from the beginning. These were the elders and eye witnesses, who were of the longest standing in the Church, and well established in the truths of the Gospel, and in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13I write unto you, fathers - As there were special reasons for writing to children, so there were also for writing to those who were more mature in life. The class here addressed would embrace all those who were in advance of the ́́ neaniskoior young men, and would properly include those who were at the head of families. Because ye have known him that is from the beginning - That is, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notes, 1 John 1:1. The argument is, that they had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 As Christians have their peculiar states, so they have peculiar duties; but there are precepts and obedience common to all, particularly mutual love, and contempt of the world. The youngest sincere disciple is pardoned: the communion of saints is attended with the forgiveness of sins. Those of the longest standing in Christ's school need further advice and instruction. Even fathers must be written unto, and preached unto; none are too old to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-14John describes three groups of Christians at different stages of spiritual growth: God's children, the young in the faith (literally young people), and the mature in the faith (literally fathers).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. All three classes are first addressed in the present. "I write"; then in the past (aorist) tense, "I wrote" (not "I have written"; moreover, in the oldest manuscripts and versions, in the end of 1Jo 2:13, it is past, "I wrote," not as English Version, "I write"). Two classes, "fathers" and "young men," are addressed with the same words each time (except that the address to the young men has an addition expressing the source and means of their…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:13

• Children
• God
• Righteous
• Satan
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Catechist; Catechumen
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of
• Satan

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