1 John 2:7

1 John 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
• New International Version (NIV)Dear 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before.

Context of 1 John 2:7

5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8Again, 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. 9He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

1 John 2:7 word by word

Ἀγαπητοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν ἀλλ᾽ ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατεRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• I writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• noοὐou · noG3756
• newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• oldπαλαιόςpalaios · oldG3820
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ye hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• Theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191

Cross-references for 1 John 2:7

• 1 John 3:11For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
• Acts 17:19And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak?
• 2 John 1:5And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
• Leviticus 19:18You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 6:5You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
• Matthew 5:43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
• Matthew 22:37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
• Mark 12:29Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
• Romans 13:8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
• Galatians 5:13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
• James 2:8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

Commentaries on 1 John 2:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Brethren, I write no new commandment - There seems a contradiction between this and the next verse. But the apostle appears to speak, not so much of any difference in the essence of the precept itself, as in reference to the degrees of light and grace belonging to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations. It was ever the command of God that men should receive his light, walk by that light, and love him and one another. But this commandment was renewed by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you - That is, what I am now enjoining is not new. It is the same doctrine which you have always heard. There has been much difference of opinion as to what is referred to by the word “commandment,” whether it is the injunction in the previous verse to live as Christ lived, or whether it is what he refers to in the following verses, the duty of brotherly love. Perhaps neither of these is exactly the idea of the…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. 7-11The disciples received this commandment (to love one another) from the very beginning. They received it from Jesus himself and from the Old Testament (John 13:34–35; Leviticus 19:18, 33–34).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Brethren--The oldest manuscripts and versions read instead, "Beloved," appropriate to the subject here, love. no new commandment--namely, love, the main principle of walking as Christ walked (1Jo 2:6), and that commandment, of which one exemplification is presently given, 1Jo 2:9, 10, the love of brethren. ye had from the beginning--from the time that ye first heard the Gospel word preached.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 2:7

• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• New Commandment
• Acknowledge
• Advocate
• Lie
• Stumble
• Begin
• Commandment, the New
• John, the Epistles of
• John, the First Epistle General 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