1 John 2:29
in 1 John 2If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.
KJV
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
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This verse in 1 John 2
Commentary
12 notes on this verse"Every one," he says, "who does righteousness is born of God;" being regenerated, that is, according to faith.
This site's exposition
remain in Christ
on 1 John 2:28-29
Abiding prepares for His return: remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed at His coming, the Greek parousia. Righteousness marks the new birth, for everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him, the theme chapter 3 builds on.
This site's exposition
everyone who practices righteousness
A child shows its father's likeness. God is righteous, so a life that practices righteousness shows birth from Him. This is the letter's first mention of being born of God, a theme that runs through chapters 3 to 5.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
"If ye know that He is righteous, know ye that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." The righteousness which at present is ours is of faith. Perfect righteousness is not, save only in the angels: and scarce in angels, if they be compared with God: yet if there be any perfect righteousness of souls and spirits which God hath created, it is in the angels, holy, just, good, by no lapse turned aside, by no pride falling, but remaining ever in the contemplation of the Word of God, and having nothing else sweet unto them save Him by whom they were created; in them is perfect righteousness: but in us it has begun to be, of faith, by the Spirit. Ye heard when the Psalm was read, "Begin to the Lord in confession." "Begin," saith it; the beginning of our righteousness is the confession of sins. Thou hast begun not to defend thy sin; now hast thou made a beginning of righteousness: but it shall be perfected in thee when to do nothing else shall delight thee, when "death shall be swallowed up in victory," when there shall be no itching of lust, when there shall be no struggling with flesh and blood, when there shall be the palm of victory, the triumph over the enemy; then shall there be perfect righteousness. At present we are still fighting: if we fight we are in the lists; we smite and are smitten; but who shall conquer, remains to be seen. And that man conquers, who even when he smites presumes not on his own strength, but relies upon God that cheers him on. The devil is alone when he fights against us. If we are with God, we overcome the devil: for if thou fight alone with the devil, thou wilt be overcome. He is a skillful enemy: how may palms has he won! Consider to what he has cast us down! That we are born mortal, comes of this, that he in the first place cast down from Paradise our very original. What then is to be done, seeing he is so well practised? […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
If you know that he is righteous, know that our righteousness is now by faith. Perfect righteousness is found only in angels, and scarcely in angels if compared to God. However, if any perfect righteousness exists in the souls and spirits that God created among …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Everyone - And none else. Who practiceth righteousness - From a believing, loving heart. Is born of him - For all his children are like himself.
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If ye know that he is righteous,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
If ye know that he is righteous - This is not said as if there could be any doubt on the subject, but merely to call their attention to it as a well-known truth, and to state what followed from it. Everyone who has any true acquaintance with God, must have the fullest conviction that he is a righteous Being. But, if this be so, John says, then it must follow that only those who are truly righteous can regard themselves as begotten of Him.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The heading of the second division of the Epistle: "God is righteous; therefore, every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." Love is the grand feature and principle of "righteousness" selected for discussion, 1Jo 2:29-3:3. If ye know . . . ye know--distinct Greek verbs: "if ye are aware (are in possession of the knowledge) . . . ye discern or apprehend also that," &c.
If ye know that he is righteous - That God is a holy God, ye know also, that every one who doeth righteousness - who lives a holy life, following the commandments of God, is born of him, Begotten of him - is made a partaker of the Divine nature, without which he could neither have a holy heart, nor live a holy life. This verse properly belongs to the following chapter, and should not be separated from it. The subject is the same, and does not stand in any strict relation to that with which the 28th verse concludes. The titles bestowed on Christians in the New Testament have been misunderstood by many. What belongs, strictly speaking, to the Pure and Holy, is often applied to those who, though bound by their Profession to be such, were very far from it. This has been strongly denied by writers who should have known better. Dr. Taylor has handled this point well in his Key to the Apostolic Writings, from which I have given a copious extract in my preface to the Epistle to the Romans, from the conviction that the subject had been most dangerously misapprehended; and that several of the worst heresies which disgrace religion had sprung from this misapprehension. With some, Dr. Taylor’s being an Arian was sufficient to invalidate any testimony he might offer; but it is no discovery of Dr. Taylor; it is what every attentive, unprejudiced reader finds on reading the Old Testament in connection with the New. Perhaps the testimony of a judicious Calvinist may be better received, not that this truth needs the testimony of either, because it everywhere speaks for itself, but because those who have too little grace, sense, and candour to search for themselves, may be pleased that Dr. […]
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐὰν | ean | If | G1437 → | 352 times |
| εἰδῆτε | eidete | you know | ||
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| δίκαιός | dikaios | righteous | G1342 → | 79 times |
| ἐστιν, | estin | He is, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γινώσκετε | ginoskete | you know | G1097 → | 221 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πᾶς | pas | everyone | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὁ | ho | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ποιῶν | poion | is practicing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δικαιοσύνην | dikaiosunen | righteousness | G1343 → | 92 times |
| ἐξ | ex | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| γεγέννηται. | gegennetai | has been begotten. | G1080 → | 97 times |
ἐὰνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
εἰδῆτεyou know
eidete
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
δίκαιόςrighteous
dikaiosG1342 →79 times
ἐστιν,He is,
estinG1510 →2333 times
γινώσκετεyou know
ginosketeG1097 →221 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πᾶςeveryone
pasG3956 →1235 times
ὁwho
hoG3588 →19766 times
ποιῶνis practicing
poionG4160 →569 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δικαιοσύνηνrighteousness
dikaiosunenG1343 →92 times
ἐξof
exG1537 →911 times
αὐτοῦHim
autouG846 →5565 times
γεγέννηται.has been begotten.
gegennetaiG1080 →97 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 1:13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
it leads to
- James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
- 1 John 3:9
Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- John 3:5–8
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
- James 1:18
Through
1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
it leads to
- John 1:12–13
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
- John 1:12–13
Through
1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
it leads to
- Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.
- 1 Peter 1:15–16
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
- Romans 2:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 John
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Ten Homilies on 1 John 4; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistles of St. John; Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 John.