1 John 2:22
What does 1 John 2:22 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 John 2:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 John 2:22 means
At the core of the deception is a Christological denial: claiming that Jesus is not the Christ. John calls this the lie and identifies its proponent as “the antichrist.” To reject the Son in His Messianic identity is to oppose God’s saving plan. Moreover, to deny the Son is to deny the Father, for the two are inseparably related. One cannot have God while rejecting His Christ. John’s clarity cuts through vague spirituality. Right confession of Jesus stands at the heart of the faith; error here is not peripheral but defining of opposition to God.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Who is false but he who says that Jesus is not the Christ? He is the Antichrist who has no belief in the Father or the Son.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Who is the liar, except he who is denying that Jesus is the Christ? this one is the antichrist who is denying the Father and the Son;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
Context
With the believers’ grasp of truth affirmed (verse 21), John specifies the falsehood (verse 22): denying Jesus as the Christ, which he labels antichrist. Verse 23 will expand the relational consequence—severing from the Father by denying the Son, or possessing the Father by confessing the Son. These doctrinal stakes then lead into the exhortation of verse 24 to let the original apostolic word abide, ensuring continued fellowship with the Son and the Father.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 John 2:4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
- John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.
- Jude 1:4
For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 12:2
Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.
- 1 John 4:3
and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.
- 1 John 2:18
Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
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