1 John 2:5

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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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δ᾽ d᾽	G1161	but · conjunction
whoso	ὃς hos	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — nominative singular masculine
keepeth	τηρῇ tērēa	G5083	perhaps akin to G2334 (θεωρέω)) · verb — present active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
his	αὐτοῦ autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
word	λόγον, logon	G3056	something said (including the thought) · noun — accusative singular masculine
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
him	τούτῳ toútōi	G5129	to (in
verily	ἀληθῶς alēthōs	G230	truly · adverb
is	τετελείωται. teteleiōtai	G5048	to complete · verb — perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular
love	ἀγάπη agapē	G26	love · noun — nominative singular feminine
God	θεοῦ theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
perfected	τελειόω teleióō	G5048	to complete
hereby	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
we	γινώσκομεν ginōskomen	G1097	to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applicatio… · verb — present active indicative, 1st person plural
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
we	αὐτῷ autō	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — dative singular masculine
are	ἐσμέν esmén	G2070	we are
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
him	τούτῳ toútōi	G5129	to (in

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 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make…
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love…
1 John 4:12-13 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath g…
Psalms 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:3-6

These verses may seem to relate to the seventh verse of the former chapter, between which and these verses there occurred an incidental discourse concerning the believer's duty and relief in case of sin, occasioned by the mention of one of the believer's privileges - his being cleansed from sin by the Mediator's blood. In that verse the apostle asserts the beneficial consequence of walking in the light: "We have then fellowship with one another, such divine fellowship and communion as are the prerogative of the church of Christ." Here now succeeds the trial or test of our light and of our love. I. The trial of our light: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments, Jo…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 2:5

Not merely repeating the proposition, Jo1 2:3, or asserting the merely opposite alternative to Jo1 2:4, but expanding the "know Him" of Jo1 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 Jo1 2:3. In proportion as we love God, in that same proportion we know Him, and vice versa, until our love and knowledge shall attain their full maturity of perfection. his word--His word is one (see on Jo1 1:5), and comprises His "commandments," which are many (Jo1 2:3). hereby--in our progressing towards this ideal of perfected love and obedience. There is a gradation: Jo1 2:3, "know Hi…

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Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:5

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 Church Fathers

Love sustains all those who try to put God's commandments into practice.
— Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN

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.
— Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN

"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.
— Clement of Alexandria ((as quoted by Cassiodorus)), From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

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

Assurance · Saints privileged to have, of: Union with God and Christ — Saints privileged to have, of: Union with God and Christ
Love Of God, The · Perfected in saints: By obedience — Perfected in saints: By obedience
Love To God · Perfected in obedience — Perfected in obedience

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 2:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:3-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 2:5

Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 John 2:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 John 2:3-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 John 2:5

Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 1 John 2:5

John Calvin on 1 John 2:3-6

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 John 2:3-6