1 John 2:7

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Dear brothers and sisters, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old one that you have had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have already heard.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν ἣν εἴχετε ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς. Ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς.

Transliteration

Adelphoi, not entolēn kainēn graphō to you, all' entolēn palaian which you eichete ap' archēs. The entolē the palaia estin the logos which you ēkousate ap' archēs.

Grammar Details

• *Adelphoi*: vocative, masculine, plural - brothers/siblings
• *entolēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - commandment/instruction
• *kainēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - new/fresh
• *graphō*: present, indicative, active, 1st person singular - I write/am writing
• *all'*: contraction of *alla* - but/rather
• *palaian*: accusative, feminine, singular - old/ancient
• *eichete*: imperfect, indicative, active, 2nd person plural - you were having/possessing
• *ap'*: contraction of *apo* - from
• *archēs*: genitive, feminine, singular - beginning/origin
• *entolē*: nominative, feminine, singular - commandment/instruction
• *palaia*: nominative, feminine, singular - old/ancient
• *estin*: present, indicative, active, 3rd person singular - is
• *logos*: nominative, masculine, singular - word/message
• *ēkousate*: aorist, indicative, active, 2nd person plural - you heard

Word Meanings

• *Adelphoi*: brothers/siblings/brethren/fellow believers
• *entolēn*: commandment/instruction/order/charge
• *kainēn*: new/fresh/novel/unused
• *palaian*: old/ancient/former/long-standing
• *eichete*: were having/possessing/holding
• *archēs*: beginning/origin/first/commencement
• *logos*: word/message/statement/account/teaching

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Brethren I write no newe comaundement vnto you: but that olde comaundemet which ye hearde from the begynnynge.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Brethren, I wryte no new commaundement vnto you, but that olde commaundement, which ye haue herde from the begynnynge.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Brethren, I write no newe commaundement vnto you: but an olde commaundement, which ye haue had from the beginning: this olde commaundement is that worde, which yee haue heard from the beginning.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Brethren, I write no newe comaundement vnto you, but that olde comaundement which ye haue had from the begynnyng. The olde commaundement is the worde which ye haue hearde fro the begynnyng.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Brethren, a new command I write not to you, but an old command, that ye had from the beginning -- the old command is the word that ye heard from the beginning;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  My loved ones, I do not give you a new law, but an old law which you had from the first; this old law is the word which came to your ears.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have already heard.

Referenced Verses

• 1 John 3:11 : 11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another.
• 2 John 1:5-6 : 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I am writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
• Lev 19:18 : 18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
• Rom 13:8-9 : 8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and any other commandment, are summed up in this statement: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
• Gal 5:13-14 : 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
• Matt 22:37-40 : 37 Jesus replied, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.
• Mark 12:29-34 : 29 Jesus answered, 'The most important is: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these. 32 Then the scribe said to him, 'Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, that God is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.' 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And no one dared to question him any further.
• Acts 17:19 : 19 They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, 'May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
• 1 John 3:23 : 23 Now this is His commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He commanded us.
• Jas 2:8-9 : 8 If you truly fulfill the royal law according to Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For He who said, 'You shall not commit adultery,' also said, 'You shall not murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
• 1 John 2:24 : 24 As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.
• Lev 19:34 : 34 Treat the foreigner residing among you as your native-born and love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
• Deut 6:5 : 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
• Matt 5:43 : 43 You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'