1 John 2:3
New International Version
We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

New Living Translation
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.

English Standard Version
And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

Berean Standard Bible
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.

Berean Literal Bible
And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we should keep His commandments.

King James Bible
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

New King James Version
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

New American Standard Bible
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

NASB 1995
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

NASB 1977
And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

Legacy Standard Bible
And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

Amplified Bible
And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).

Christian Standard Bible
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands.

American Standard Version
And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And by this we sense that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Contemporary English Version
When we obey God, we are sure we know him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And by this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments.

English Revised Version
And hereby know we that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
We are sure that we know Christ if we obey his commandments.

Good News Translation
If we obey God's commands, then we are sure that we know him.

International Standard Version
This is how we can be sure that we have come to know him: if we continually keep his commandments.

Literal Standard Version
and in this we know that we have known Him, if we may keep His commands;

Majority Standard Bible
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.

New American Bible
The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.

NET Bible
Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments.

New Revised Standard Version
Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments.

New Heart English Bible
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

Webster's Bible Translation
And by this we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Weymouth New Testament
And by this we may know that we know Him--if we obey His commands.

World English Bible
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

Young's Literal Translation
and in this we know that we have known him, if his commands we may keep;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Our Advocate
2He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 By 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.…

Cross References
John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.

1 John 2:4
If anyone says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 2:5
But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:

1 John 2:13
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 have written to you, children, because you know the Father.

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.

1 John 3:22
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.


Treasury of Scripture

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

hereby.

1 John 2:4-6
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him…

1 John 3:14,19
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death…

1 John 4:13
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

we know.

Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

if we.

1 John 3:22,23
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight…

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Psalm 119:6,32
Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments…

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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.














(5) The fourth inference from the doctrine that God is Light analyses more accurately the general expression of 1John 1:7, walking in the light. If Christ is, as in 1John 2:1-2, the Paraclete and Propitiation of the world, it becomes necessary to ascertain whether He is this to us; lest, when this salvation is offered, we condemn ourselves by rejecting it. The test is, "obedience to the commandments, especially in brotherly love."

(3) Hereby means, by what follows.

That we know him.--Rather, have known Him (so also in 1John 2:4, I have known Him); that we have not grasped a shadow, but have been in intercourse with the living God, who reveals Himself not through speculation, but through a true inward life of man.

If we keep his commandments.--Christ's--because of the reference to John 14:15. "Keep" like a precious heirloom, watching them against the inroads of our lower nature. (Comp. Matthew 19:17; Matthew 28:20; 1Timothy 6:14.) If each man's conscience was the standard of practice, confusion would again reign in morals as it reigned in the days of the Sophists at Athens. (Compare Plato's Republic, Bk. 2, Jowett's translation.) A code and an example fitted for all times and all circumstances have been given by our Lord. . . .

Verses 3-6. - Thirdly, walking in the light involves obedience. Verse 3. - And herein we perceive that we know him, if we keep his commandments γινώσκομεν, we come to know, we recognize; ἐγνώκαμεν, we have come to know, we know). The token of our having this knowledge is stated hypothetically; not because, but if, we obey. To serve under another and obey him is one of the best ways of knowing his character. The knowledge is no mere intellectual apprehension, such as the Gnostic, postulated, but a moral and spiritual affection and activity. It is possible to know and hate (John 16:24). Again, the knowledge is not a mere emotional appreciation. Christianity knows nothing of piety without morality. To know Christ is to love him, and to love him is to obey and imitate him. By "keep" τῆρῶμεν is recant "keep the eye fixed upon, observe."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
By
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.

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

we can be sure
γινώσκομεν (ginōskomen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

we have come to know
ἐγνώκαμεν (egnōkamen)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
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.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

we keep
τηρῶμεν (tērōmen)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
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.


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NT Letters: 1 John 2:3 This is how we know that we (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
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