1 John 2:11

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
hateth	μισῶν misōn	G3404	to detest (especially to persecute) · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
his	αὐτοῦ autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
brother	ἀδελφὸν adelphon	G80	a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (m… · noun — accusative singular masculine
is	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
darkness	σκοτίᾳ skotia	G4653	dimness · noun — dative singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
walketh	περιπατεῖ peripatei	G4043	to tread all around · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
darkness	σκοτίᾳ skotia	G4653	dimness · noun — dative singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
knoweth	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
not	οὐκ ouk	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
whither	πού poú	G4225	as adverb of place
goeth	ὑπάγει, hupagei	G5217	to lead (oneself) under · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
because	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
darkness	σκοτία skotia	G4653	dimness · noun — nominative singular feminine
blinded	ἐτύφλωσεν etuphlōsen	G5186	to make blind · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
his	αὐτοῦ.¶ autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
eyes	ὀφθαλμοὺς ophthalmous	G3788	the eye (literally or figuratively) · noun — accusative plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

John 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that…
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful,…
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, a…
Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be conv…
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the…
1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:7-11

The seventh verse may be supposed either to look backward to what immediately preceded (and then it is walking as Christ walked that is here represented as no new, but an old commandment; it is that which the apostles would certainly inculcate wherever they brought Christ's gospel), or to look forward to what the apostle is now going to recommend, and that is the law of fraternal love; this is the message heard from the beginning (Jo1 3:11), and the old commandment, Jo2 1:5. Now, while the apostle addresses himself to the recommendation of such a practice, he is ready to give an instance thereof in his affectionate appellation: "Brethren, you who are dear to me in the bond of that love to wh…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 2:11

is in darkness . . . walketh--"is" marks his continuing STATE: he has never come out of "the darkness" (so Greek); "walketh" marks his OUTWARD WALK and acts. whither--Greek, "where"; including not only the destination to which, but the way whereby. hath blinded--rather, as Greek aorist, "blinded" of old. Darkness not only surrounds, but blinds him, and that a blindness of long standing.

Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:11

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness - He is still in his heathen or unconverted state; and walketh in darkness, his conduct being a proof of that state; and knoweth not whither he goeth - having no proper knowledge of God or eternal things; and cannot tell whether he is going to heaven or hell, because that darkness has blinded his eyes - darkened his whole soul, mind, and heart.

John Gill on 1 John 2:11

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness,.... As is before expressed in 1 John 2:9, to which is added, and walketh in darkness; he goes on in it, and takes delight in it, as dangerous and uncomfortable as it is: and knoweth not whither he goeth; he cannot discern between good and evil; he puts darkness for light, and light for darkness; he sees not what is before him, nor what stumblingblocks lie in the way; he is not aware of the snares, pits, and traps he is in danger of falling into; nor does he know and consider what these paths of darkness, of sin, and ignorance, and infidelity, lead unto, even unto utter darkness, where is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth: and the reason…

The Church Fathers

Whoever does evil and hates his brother has extinguished the lamp of love, and therefore he walks in darkness.
— Origen of Alexandria, SERMONS ON LEVITICUS 13.2.4

The person who loses sight of love will not know which way to turn when it comes to doing good works.
— Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN

Those who hate Christ do not realize that they have become the inheritors of eternal fire. This is what the devil makes them suffer, because he has blinded their inner vision.
— Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Blindness, Spiritual · Uncharitableness, a proof of — Uncharitableness, a proof of
Darkness · Effects of: Causes us to go astray — Effects of: Causes us to go astray
Hatred · Inconsistent with: The knowledge of God — Inconsistent with: The knowledge of God
Love To Man · Hypocrites, devoid of — Hypocrites, devoid of

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 John 2:11

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:7-11

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 2:11

Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:11

John Gill on 1 John 2:11

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 John 2:11

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:7-11

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 2:11

Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:11

John Gill on 1 John 2:11

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 John 2:7-11

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 John 2:10