1 John 2:5
in 1 John 2But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him:
KJV
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
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This verse in 1 John 2
Commentary
16 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But whoso keepeth his word - That is, what he has spoken or commanded, The term “word” here will include all that he has made known to us as his will in regard to our conduct. In him verily is the love of God perfected - He professes to have the love of God in his heart, and that love receives its completion or filling up by obedience to the will of God. That obedience is the proper carrying out, or the exponent of the love which exists in the heart.
This site's exposition
the love of God has been truly perfected in him
on 1 John 2:5-6
The test turns positive: if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. The standard is as high as it goes: Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked. Christ's earthly life is the pattern for every claim to abide.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we know that we are in him." Therefore, whoever knows God is also known by Him, either having become a partner with God and united with God; and in …
Love sustains all those who try to put God's commandments into practice.
"In this we know that we are in Him, if in Him we be perfected." Perfected in love, he calls them: what is perfection of love? To love even enemies, and love them for this end, that they may be brethren. For not a carnal love ought ours to be. To wish a man temporal weal, is good; but though that fail, let the soul be safe. Dost thou wish life to any that is thy friend? Thou doest well. Dost thou rejoice at the death of thine enemy? Thou doest ill. But haply both to thy friend the life thou wishest him is not for his good, and to thine enemy the death thou rejoicest at hath been for his good. It is uncertain whether this present life be profitable to any man or unprofitable: but the life which is with God without doubt is profitable. So love thine enemies as to wish them to become thy brethren; so love thine enemies as that they may be called into thy fellowship. For so loved He who, hanging on the cross, said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." For he did not say, Father let them live long, me indeed they kill, but let them live. He was casting out from them the death which is for ever and ever, by His most merciful prayer, and by His most surpassing might.
The person who really loves God keeps his commandments and by so doing realizes that he knows the love of God. Our obedience results in his love.
A commentator
Clement of AlexandriaFrom the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.
proposed
"But whoever keeps His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him," - by faith and love.
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
And from the contrary he confirms the same thing, employing the most complete proof.
But whoever keeps His word, etc. Therefore, truly the one who keeps God's commandments and proves by his love has true knowledge of God. For to know God is to love Him. For whoever does not love Him clearly shows that he does not know …
By this we know that we are in Him, etc. That is, through excessive love, even to pray for enemies, just as He did, saying, "Father, forgive them" (Luke XXIII). Also, to despise all the favorable aspects of the world with a strong mind, to …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Hereby - By our keeping his word. We know that we are in him - So is the tree known by its fruits. To "know him," to be "in him," to "abide in him," are nearly synonymous terms; only with a gradation, - knowledge, communion, constancy.
), we know that we belong to him, and that we are united to him by that Spirit which elevates and assists us to this obedience; and if we acknowledge our relation to him, and our union with him, it must have this continued enforcement upon us: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself to walk even as he walked,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
But whoso keepeth his word,....
To keep the word of God, or of Christ, is sacredly to attend thereto in all the conduct and motion of life; in him that does so is the love of God perfected.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Not merely repeating the proposition, 1Jo 2:3, or asserting the merely opposite alternative to 1Jo 2:4, but expanding the "know Him" of 1Jo 2:3, into "in Him, verily (not as a matter of vain boasting) is the love of (that is towards) God perfected," and "we are in Him." Love here answers to knowledge in 1Jo 2:3.
But whoso keepeth his word - Conscientiously observes his doctrine, the spirit and letter of the religion of Christ. Is the love of God perfected - The design of God’s love in sending Jesus Christ into the world to die for the sin of man τετελειωται, is accomplished, in that man who receives the doctrine, and applies for the salvation provided for him. This seems to be the meaning of the apostle. That we are in him - That we have entered into his spirit and views, received his salvation, have been enabled to walk in the light, and have communion with him by the Holy Spirit.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃς | hos | Who[ever] | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| δ᾽ | d᾽ | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἂν | an | maybe | G302 → | 165 times |
| τηρῇ | terea | may keep | G5083 → | 70 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | His | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγον, | logon | word, | G3056 → | 329 times |
| ἀληθῶς | alethos | truly | G230 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | him | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπη | agape | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| τετελείωται. | teteleiotai | has been perfected. | G5048 → | 23 times |
| ἐν | en | By | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| γινώσκομεν | ginoskomen | we know | G1097 → | 221 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐσμεν. | esmen | we are. | G1510 → | 2333 times |
ὃςWho[ever]
hosG3739 →1405 times
δ᾽however
d᾽G1161 →2765 times
ἂνmaybe
anG302 →165 times
τηρῇmay keep
tereaG5083 →70 times
αὐτοῦHis
autouG846 →5565 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
λόγον,word,
logonG3056 →329 times
ἀληθῶςtruly
alethosG230 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τούτῳhim
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπηlove
agapeG26 →114 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
τετελείωται.has been perfected.
teteleiotaiG5048 →23 times
ἐνBy
enG1722 →2738 times
τούτῳthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
γινώσκομενwe know
ginoskomenG1097 →221 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷHim
autoG846 →5565 times
ἐσμεν.we are.
esmenG1510 →2333 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 14:21Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
it leads to
- John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
- 2 John 1:6
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
- John 15:9–10
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
- John 14:15
Through
Luke 11:28But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
it leads to
- Luke 6:47–48
I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them:
- Luke 8:21
But He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out.”
- Psalms 112:1
Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Luke 6:47–48
Through
John 14:23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:15–16
If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 4:15–16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 John
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Ten Homilies on 1 John 1; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN; Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN; 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; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 John and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 John.