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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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 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 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. 12I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 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. 14I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. 15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

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 have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
• 1 Timothy 5:1Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,
• 1 John 2:3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
• 1 John 5:20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
• Psalms 91:14“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
• Luke 10:22All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
• John 8:19Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
• John 14:7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
• John 17:3And this is eternal life, that they may 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 upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—
• Psalms 90:2Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
• Psalms 148:12Both young men and maidens; Old men and children.
• Proverbs 20:29The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.
• Joel 2:28“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
• Zechariah 9:17For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women.
• 1 John 4:4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he 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