1 John 2:4
Those who say, “We ◄know/have a close relationship with► God,” and do not obey what God commands us to do, are liars. They are not conducting their lives according to God’s true message.
Translation for Translators
In The King James Version
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
In Context
Cross References
Titus 1:16Even though they claim/say that they know God, by what they do they show that they do not know ◄God/his true teaching►. They do not obey God, and they are unable to do anything that he considers to be good. So God considers them to be absolutely disgusting!
1 John 1:6If we claim to have a close relationship with God, but we conduct our lives in an impure manner, that is like living [MET] in evil darkness. We are lying. We are not conducting our lives according to God’s true message.
1 John 1:10Because God says that everyone has sinned, those who say/claim that they have never behaved sinfully talk as though God lies! They reject what God says about us!
1 John 4:20So those who say “I love God” but hate a fellow believer are lying. Those who do not love one of their fellow believers, whom they have seen, certainly cannot be loving God, whom they have not seen.
Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:4-7
The Believer's Duty. ( a. d. 80.) 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. These verses may seem to relate to the seventh verse of the former chapter , between which and these verses there… Read the whole commentary →