1 John 2:8

1 John 2:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

Context of 1 John 2:8

6Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 7Dear 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. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 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.

1 John 2:8 word by word

πάλιν ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• aἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
• I writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• which thingὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• trueἀληθήςalēthēs · trueG227
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the darknessὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the darknessσκοτίαskotia · darknessG4653
• is pastπαράγωparagō · to passG3855
• theφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• trueἀληθινόςalēthinos · trueG228
• nowἤδηēdē · alreadyG2235
• shinethφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316

Cross-references for 1 John 2:8

• 1 John 4:21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
• John 13:34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
• John 15:12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
• 1 John 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
• 1 John 4:11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
• 2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
• Ephesians 5:1Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children
• 1 Peter 1:21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
• 1 Peter 4:1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
• Isaiah 9:2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
• Isaiah 60:1“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
• Matthew 4:16the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
• Luke 1:79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
• John 12:46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
• Acts 17:30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
• Acts 26:18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Commentaries on 1 John 2:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Which thing is true in him and in you - It is true that Christ loved the world so well as to lay down his life for it; and it was true in them, in all his faithful followers at that time, who were ready to lay down their lives for the testimony of Jesus. There is a saying in Synopsis Sohar, p. 94, n. 51, that may cast some light on this passage: That way in which the just have walked, although it be Old, yet may be said to be New in the love of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Again, a new commandment I write unto you - “And yet, that which I write to you, and particularly enjoin on you, deserves in another sense to be called a new commandment, though it has been also inculcated from the beginning, for it was called new by the Saviour himself.” Or the meaning may be, “In addition to the general precepts which I have referred to, I do now call your attention to the new commandment of the Saviour, that which he himself called…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. 8a new commandment: Jesus gave a new basis for their love by showing love to his disciples through his actions (John 13:1–17). the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining: The light of the good news about Jesus pushes back the darkness. Darkness cannot defeat this light, especially when believers live out the love that is in Christ.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. a new commandment--It was "old," in that Christians as such had heard it from the first; but "new" (Greek, "kaine," not "nea": new and different from the old legal precept) in that it was first clearly promulgated with Christianity; though the inner spirit of the law was love even to enemies, yet it was enveloped in some bitter precepts which caused it to be temporarily almost unrecognized, till the Gospel came. Christianity first put love to brethren…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:8

• Darkness
• Gospel
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• New Commandment
• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• 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