1 John · Bible in Basic English
1 John 2 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may be without sin. And if any man is a sinner, we have a friend and helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, the upright one:
1 Τεκνία μου, ταῦτα γράφω ὑμῖν ἵνα μὴ ἁμάρτητε· καὶ ἐάν τις ἁμάρτῃ, παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δίκαιον·
2 He is the offering for our sins; and not for ours only, but for all the world.
2 καὶ αὐτὸς ἱλασμός ἐστι περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου.
3 And by this we may be certain that we have knowledge of him, if we keep his laws.
3 καὶ ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτόν, ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν.
4 The man who says, I have knowledge of him, and does not keep his laws, is false, and there is nothing true in him:
4 ὁ λέγων, ἔγνωκα αὐτόν, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστί, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν·
5 But in every man who keeps his word, the love of God is made complete. By this we may be certain that we are in him:
5 ὃς δ᾽ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται. ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν.
6 He who says that he is living in him, will do as he did.
6 ὁ λέγων ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν ὀφείλει, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησε, καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτω περιπατεῖν.
7 My loved ones, I do not give you a new law, but an old law which you had from the first; this old law is the word which came to your ears.
7 Ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐντολὴν παλαιάν, ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς.
8 Again, I give you a new law, which is true in him and in you; for the night is near its end and the true light is even now shining out.
8 πάλιν ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει.
9 He who says that he is in the light, and has hate in his heart for his brother, is still in the dark.
9 ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῶν, ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι.
10 He who has love for his brother is in the light, and there is no cause of error in him.
10 ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει, καὶ σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν·
11 But he who has hate for his brother is in the dark, walking in the dark with no knowledge of where he is going, unable to see because of the dark.
11 ὁ δὲ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ, καὶ οὐκ οἶδε ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.
12 I am writing to you, my children, because you have forgiveness of sins through his name.
12 Γράφω ὑμῖν, τεκνία, ὅτι ἀφέωνται ὑμῖν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have knowledge of him who was from the first. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the Evil One. I have sent a letter to you, children, because you have knowledge of the Father.
13 γράφω ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς. γράφω ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.
14 I have sent a letter to you, fathers, because you have knowledge of him who was from the first. I have sent a letter to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God is in you, and because you have overcome the Evil One.
14 ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, παιδία, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν πατέρα. ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς. ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι ἰσχυροί ἐστε καὶ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν μένει καὶ νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.
15 Have no love for the world or for the things which are in the world. If any man has love for the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
15 μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ·
16 Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world.
16 ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἡ ἀλαζονεία τοῦ βίου, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐστί.
17 And the world and its desires is coming to an end: but he who does God's pleasure is living for ever.
17 καὶ ὁ κόσμος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you were given word that the Antichrist would come, so now a number of Antichrists have come to you; and by this we are certain that it is the last hour.
18 Παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστί, καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ὅτι ὁ ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν· ὅθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστὶν.
19 They went out from us but they were not of us; if they had been of us they would still be with us: but they went out from us so that it might be made clear that they were not of us.
19 ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶ πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν.
20 And you have the Spirit from the Holy One and you all have knowledge.
20 καὶ ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου, καὶ οἴδατε πάντα.
21 I have not sent you this letter because you have no knowledge of what is true, but because you have knowledge, and because that which is false has nothing in common with that which is true.
21 οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν, καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστι.
22 Who is false but he who says that Jesus is not the Christ? He is the Antichrist who has no belief in the Father or the Son.
22 τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος, ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱόν.
23 He who has no belief in the Son has not the Father: he who makes clear his belief in the Son has the Father.
23 πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει.
24 But as for you, keep in your hearts the things which were made clear to you from the first. If you keep these things in your hearts you will be kept in the Father and the Son.
24 Ὑμεῖς οὖν ὃ ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς, ἐν ὑμῖν μενέτω. ἐὰν ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ ὃ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἠκούσατε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ υἱῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ μενεῖτε.
25 And this is the hope which he gave you, even eternal life.
25 καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον.
26 I am writing these things to you about those whose purpose is that you may be turned out of the true way.
26 Ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν περὶ τῶν πλανώντων ὑμᾶς.
27 As for you, the Spirit which he gave you is still in you, and you have no need of any teacher; but as his Spirit gives you teaching about all things, and is true and not false, so keep your hearts in him, through the teaching which he has given you.
27 καὶ ὑμεῖς, τὸ χρῖσμα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἐν ὑμῖν μένει, καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ἵνα τις διδάσκῃ ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τὸ αὐτὸ χρῖσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων, καὶ ἀληθές ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ψεῦδος, καὶ καθὼς ἐδίδαξεν ὑμᾶς μενεῖτε ἐν αὐτῷ.
28 And now, my children, keep your hearts in him; so that at his revelation, we may have no fear or shame before him at his coming.
28 Καὶ νῦν, τεκνία, μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ, ἵνα ὅταν φανερωθῇ ἔχωμεν παρρησίαν καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
29 If you have knowledge that he is upright, it is clear to you that everyone who does righteousness is his offspring.
29 ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ὅτι δίκαιός ἐστι, γινώσκετε ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται.
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 8:34; John 14:6; 1 John 1:8–10; Hebrews 7:24–26
- 2 1 John 4:14; 1 Peter 3:18; John 1:29; 1 John 4:10; 1 Peter 2:24
- 3 John 14:15; John 15:10; 1 John 5:3; Luke 6:46; 1 John 4:13
- 4 1 John 1:6; Titus 1:16; James 2:14–16; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 4:20
- 5 John 14:23; John 14:21; 1 John 4:12–13; Luke 11:28; 1 John 3:24
- 6 1 Peter 2:21; John 13:15; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 John 3:6; John 15:4–6
- 7 1 John 3:11; Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:29–34; 2 John 5–6; Romans 13:8–10
- 8 Ephesians 5:8; Romans 13:12; John 13:34; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4–6
- 9 1 John 4:20; 1 John 2:11; 1 John 3:13–17; Psalm 82:5; 1 Corinthians 13:1–3
- 10 1 John 3:14; Romans 9:32–33; Romans 14:13; Hosea 6:3; Matthew 18:7
- 11 John 12:35; Titus 3:3; Revelation 3:17; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:9
- 12 Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7; Psalm 106:8; Acts 4:12
- 13 John 14:7; 1 John 2:14; Luke 10:22; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 1:1
- 14 Psalm 119:11; 1 John 2:13; Colossians 3:16; John 15:7; Ephesians 6:10
- 15 James 4:4; Romans 12:2; Matthew 6:24; Colossians 3:1–2; Luke 16:13
- 16 Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:17; Psalm 119:36–37; Genesis 3:6; Proverbs 27:20
- 17 Matthew 24:35; 1 Corinthians 7:31; Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 4:2; Hebrews 10:36
- 18 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7; 1 John 2:22; Matthew 24:24; Matthew 24:5
- 19 Acts 20:30; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Jude 19; Luke 8:13; 2 Peter 2:20–21
- 20 1 John 2:27; John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; Isaiah 61:1; Psalm 23:5
- 21 2 Peter 1:12; Jude 5; Proverbs 1:5; Proverbs 9:8–9; Romans 15:14–15
- 22 2 John 7; 1 John 4:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 4; 1 John 2:23
- 23 1 John 4:15; John 8:19; John 5:23; John 10:30; John 15:23–24
- 24 John 14:23; John 15:9–10; 1 John 4:13; 1 John 4:16; 2 John 5–6
- 25 John 10:28; Titus 3:7; Jude 21; John 17:2–3; Titus 1:2
- 26 2 Peter 2:1–3; 2 John 7; 1 John 3:7; Acts 20:29–30; Mark 13:22
- 27 John 14:26; 1 John 2:20–21; 1 Corinthians 2:13; John 16:13; Jeremiah 31:33–34
- 28 1 John 4:17; Mark 8:38; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 John 3:2; 1 John 3:21
- 29 John 3:3–5; 1 John 3:7; John 1:13; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 4:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven through His name. 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, children, because ye have known the Father.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Verily, Thou commandest that I should be continent from the "lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." Thou hast commanded me to abstain from concubinage; and as to marriage itself, Thou hast advised something better than Thou hast allowed.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation: and, We bow our knees unto the Father from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named: glorifying Him with the Only-begotten: for he that denieth the Father, denieth the Son also: and again, He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also; knowing that Jesus …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… wear the Body which He assumed, until He make me God by the power of His Incarnation; although He is no longer known after the flesh --I mean, the passions of the flesh, the same, except sin, as ours. Thus too, we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ, not indeed prostrating Himself for us before the Father, and falling down before …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
There remain the delights of these eyes of my flesh, concerning which to make my confessions in the hearing of the ears of Thy temple, those fraternal and devout ears; and so to conclude the temptations of "the lust of the flesh" which still assail me, groaning and desiring to be clothed upon with my house from heaven.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)