1 John 2:8

Nevertheless, I can say that the command I am writing to you is a new command. It is new because what Christ did was new, and what you are doing is new, because you have been ceasing to conduct your lives in a morally impure manner and are now truly conducting your lives in a pure manner. That is like [MET] no longer living in darkness. Instead, it is like living where a brilliant light is already shining.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

In Context

7Dear friends, I am not writing a new additional command to you. Instead, I am writing to you a command which was given to you when you first [MTY] believed in Christ. That command is part of the message that you have always heard.

9Those who claim that they are pure in every way, like people [MET] living in the light, but hate any of their fellow believers, are still behaving in an impure manner, like [MET] people who are continually living in darkness.

Read all of 1 John 2

Cross References

Psalms 27:1Yahweh is the one who gives light to my soul/spirit and the one who saves me, so I do not [RHQ] need to be afraid of anyone. Yahweh is the one to whom I go for refuge, so I will never be afraid.

Psalms 84:11Yahweh our God is like the sun that shines on us and like a shield that protects us [MET]; he is kind to us and honors us. Yahweh does not refuse to give any good thing/blessing to those who do what is right.

Isaiah 9:2Some day, it will be as though [MET] the people who walked in darkness will see a great light. A great light will shine on those who live in a land where they have great troubles/distress.

Malachi 4:2But as for you who revere me [MTY], the one who will save you will come to you like [MET] the sun shines in the morning, and enable you to become righteous (OR, do what is righteous); he will restore you and protect you like a bird protects its chicks [MET] under its wings. When he comes, you will be very joyful, like [SIM] calves that go out from a barn into the pasture leaping joyfully.

Luke 1:79People who do not know God [MET] are like those who sit in the darkness. They are afraid [MTY] that they will soon die. But when the Messiah tells us God’s message, it will be like causing such people to see a bright light. He will guide us [SYN] so that we will be living peacefully.”

John 1:9While John was doing that, the one who was truly like a light was about to show himself to the world. He was the one who enables all people to know about God, as a light [MET] enables people to know what is in the darkness.

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:8-12

The Law of Love. ( a. d. 80.) 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 John 2:8