1 John 2:4
New International Version
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

New Living Translation
If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.

English Standard Version
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Berean Standard Bible
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Berean Literal Bible
The one saying, "I have known Him," and not keeping His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

King James Bible
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

New King James Version
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

New American Standard Bible
The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

NASB 1995
The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

NASB 1977
The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

Legacy Standard Bible
The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

Amplified Bible
Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him.

Christian Standard Bible
The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

American Standard Version
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For he who says, “I know him”, and does not keep his commandments, is lying and the truth is not in him.

Contemporary English Version
But if we claim to know him and don't obey him, we are lying and the truth isn't in our hearts.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He who saith that he knoweth him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

English Revised Version
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The person who says, "I know him," but doesn't obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn't in that person.

Good News Translation
If we say that we know him, but do not obey his commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us.

International Standard Version
The person who says, "I have come to know him," but does not continually keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth has no place in that person.

Literal Standard Version
he who is saying, “I have known Him,” and is not keeping His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

Majority Standard Bible
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

New American Bible
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

NET Bible
The one who says "I have come to know God" and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.

New Revised Standard Version
Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist;

New Heart English Bible
One who says, "I know him," and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Weymouth New Testament
He who professes to know Him, and yet does not obey His commands, is a liar, and the truth has no place in his heart.

World English Bible
One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.

Young's Literal Translation
he who is saying, 'I have known him,' and his command is not keeping, a liar he is, and in him the truth is not;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Our Advocate
3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:…

Cross References
John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Titus 1:10
For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,

Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

1 John 1:6
If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

1 John 1:8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 2:3
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.

1 John 3:6
No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.


Treasury of Scripture

He that said, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

that saith.

1 John 2:9
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

1 John 1:6,8,10
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: …

1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

I know.

Hosea 8:2,3
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee…

Titus 1:16
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

is a.

1 John 1:6,8
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: …

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Command Commandments Commands Disobeys Heart Keepeth Keeping Liar Obey Professes True. Truth
1 John 2
1. He comforts them against the sins of infirmity.
3. Rightly to know God is to keep his commandments;
9. to love our brothers;
15. and not to love the world.
18. We must beware of antichrists;
20. from whose deceits the godly are safe, preserved by perseverance in faith, and holiness of life.














Verse 4. - The participial substantive ὁ λέγων now takes the place of ἐάν with the subjunctive, but the two are equivalent (cf. 1 John 1:6, which is almost exactly parallel to this, and shows what "knowing him" really is, viz. having fellowship with him, just as not keeping his commandments is the same as walking in darkness). St. John says, μὴ τηρῶν, not, οὐ τηρῶν, the case being hypothetical - if there be such a man, he is a liar, and has no idea of truth (see on 1 John 1:8). He must have lost the very power of recognizing truth to maintain that he knows Christ, when he habitually transgresses his commands. It is no great thing, as Bode says, to know as the devils do, who "believe and tremble."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If anyone
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

says,
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“I know
Ἔγνωκα (Egnōka)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

Him,”
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

[but]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

does not keep
τηρῶν (tērōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5083: From teros; to guard, i.e. To note; by implication, to detain; by extension, to withhold; by extension, to withhold.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

commandments,
ἐντολὰς (entolas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.

he is
ἐστίν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

a liar,
ψεύστης (pseustēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5583: A liar, deceiver. From pseudomai; a falsifier.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

truth
ἀλήθεια (alētheia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 225: From alethes; truth.

is
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

him.
τούτῳ (toutō)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.


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NT Letters: 1 John 2:4 One who says I know him (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 2:3
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