1 John 2 · Verse 16

1 John 2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:16, King James Version

1 John 2:16 in other translations

BSB	For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
WEB	For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.
ASV	For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
YLT	because all that is in the world--the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the ostentation of the life--is not of the Father, but of the world,
DARBY	because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
BBE	Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world.
Webster	For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

What does 1 John 2:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

16. all that is in the world--can be classed under one or other of the three; the world contains these and no more. lust of the flesh--that is, the lust which has its seat and source in our lower animal nature. Satan tried this temptation the first on Christ: Lu 4:3, "Command this stone that it be made bread." Youth is especially liable to fleshly lusts. lust of the eyes--the avenue through which outward things of the world, riches, pomp, and beauty, inflame us. Satan tried this temptation on Christ when he showed Him the kingdoms of the world in a moment. By the lust of the eyes David (2Sa 11:2) and Achan fell (Jos 7:21). Compare David's prayer, Psa 119:37; Job's resolve, Psa 31:1; Mt 5:28. The only good of worldly riches to the possessor is the beholding them with the eyes. Compare Lu 14:18, "I must go and SEE it." pride of life--literally, "arrogant assumption": vainglorious display. Pride was Satan's sin whereby he fell and forms the link between the two foes of man, the world (answering to "the lust of the eyes") and the devil (as "the lust of the flesh" is the third foe). Satan tried this temptation on Christ in setting Him on the temple pinnacle that, in spiritual pride and presumption, on the ground of His Father's care, He should cast Himself down. The same three foes appear in the three classes of soil on which the divine seed falls: the wayside hearers, the devil; the thorns, the world; the rocky undersoil, the flesh (Mt 13:18-23; Mr 4:3-8). The world's awful antitrinity, the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," similarly is presented in Satan's temptation of Eve: "When she saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise," Ge 3:6 (one manifestation of "the pride of life," the desire to know above what God has revealed, Col 2:8, the pride of unsanctified knowledge). of--does not spring from "the Father" (used in relation to the preceding "little children," 1Jo 2:12, or "little sons"). He who is born of God alone turns to God; he who is of the world turns to the world; the sources of love to God and love to the world, are irreconcilably distinct.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 16. For all that is in the world. That is, all that really constitutes the world, or that enters into the aims and purposes of those who live for this life. All that that community lives for may be comprised under the following things.

The lust of the flesh. The word lust is used here in the general sense of desire, or that which is the object of desire--not in the narrow sense in which it is now commonly used to denote libidinous passion. Jas 1:14. The phrase, "the lust of the flesh," here denotes that which pampers the appetites, or all that is connected with the indulgence of the mere animal propensities. A large part of the world lives for little more than this. This is the lowest form of worldly indulgence; those which are immediately specified being of a higher order, though still merely worldly.

And the lust of the eyes. That which is designed merely to gratify the sight. This would include, of course, costly raiment, jewels, gorgeous furniture, splendid palaces, pleasure-grounds, etc. The object is to refer to the gay vanities of this world, the thing on which the eye delights to rest where there is no higher object of life. It does not, of course, mean that the eye is never to be gratified, or that we can find as much pleasure in an ugly as in a handsome object, or that it is sinful to find pleasure in beholding objects of real beauty--for the world, as formed by its Creator, is full of such things, and he could not but have intended that pleasure should enter the soul through the eye, or that the beauties which he has shed so lavishly over his works should contribute to the happiness of his creatures; but the apostle refers to this when it is the great and leading object of life,--when it is sought without any connexion with religion or reference to the world to come.

And the pride of life. The word here used means, properly, ostentation or boasting, and then arrogance or pride.--Robinson. It refers to whatever there is that tends to promote pride, or that is an index of pride, such as the ostentatious display of dress, equipage, furniture, etc.

Is not of the Father. Does not proceed from God, or meet with his approbation. It is not of the nature of true religion to seek these things, nor can their pursuit be reconciled with the existence of real piety in the heart. The sincere Christian has nobler ends; and he who has not any higher ends, and whose conduct and feelings can all be accounted for by a desire for these things, cannot be a true Christian.

But is of the world. Is originated solely by the objects and purposes of this life, where religion and the life to come are excluded.

(*) "lust" "desire" (b) "flesh" 2Pet 2:10 (c) "the eyes" Ps 119:37 (d) "pride of life" Ps 83:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 16 For all that is in the world - All that it can boast of, all that it can promise, is only sensual, transient gratification, and even this promise it cannot fulfill; so that its warmest votaries can complain loudest of their disappointment. The lust of the flesh - Sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious viands, and the like. Lust of the eyes - Inordinate desires after finery of every kind, gaudy dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipage, trappings, and decorations of all sorts. Pride of life - Hunting after honors, titles, and pedigrees; boasting of ancestry, family connections, great offices, honorable acquaintance, and the like. Is not of the Father - Nothing of these inordinate attachments either comes from or leads to God. They are of this world; here they begin, flourish, and end. They deprave the mind, divert it from Divine pursuits, and render it utterly incapable of spiritual enjoyments.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 2:15-17

The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, and they are to be used by his grace, and to his glory; but believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which sin abuses them. The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays. The things of the world are classed according to the three…

Read the full comment on 1 John 2:15-17 →

1 John 2:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὅτιhotibecauseG3754

πᾶνpanallG3956

τὸtothat [is]G3588

ἐνeninG1722

τῷtōtheG3588

κόσμῳ,kosmōworld,G2889

ἡhētheG3588

ἐπιθυμίαepithumiadesireG1939

τῆςtēsof theG3588

σαρκὸςsarkosfleshG4561

καὶkaiandG2532

ἡhētheG3588

ἐπιθυμίαepithumiadesireG1939

τῶνtōnof theG3588

ὀφθαλμῶνophthalmōneyesG3788

καὶkaiandG2532

ἡhētheG3588

ἀλαζονείαalazoneiavauntingG212

τοῦtou<the>G3588

βίου,biouof life,G979

οὐκouknotG3756

ἔστινestinisG1510

ἐκekfromG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

πατρὸςpatrosFatherG3962

ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235

ἐκekfromG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

κόσμουkosmouworldG2889

ἐστίν.estinis.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 John 2:16

Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Psalms 119:36-37
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Proverbs 27:20
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
James 3:15
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
2 Peter 2:10
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
1 Peter 4:2-3
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Psalms 78:18
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Titus 2:12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the lust of the flesh.
Nu 11:4,34; Ps 78:18,30; Pr 6:25; Mt 5:28; Ro 13:14; 1Co 10:6
Ga 5:17,24; Eph 2:3; Tit 2:12; 3:3; 1Pe 1:14; 2:11; 4:2,3; 4:2,3
2Pe 2:10,18; Jude 1:16-18
and the lust.
Ge 3:6; 6:2; Jos 7:21; Job 31:1; Ps 119:36,37; Ec 5:10,11; Mt 4:8
Lu 4:5
and the pride.
Es 1:3-7; Ps 73:6; Da 4:30; Re 18:11-17
is not.
Jas 3:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Read all of 1 John 2

1 John 2:16 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque todo lo que hay en el mundo, la concupiscencia de la carne, y la concupiscencia de los ojos, y la soberbia de la vida, no es del Padre, mas es del mundo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	parce que tout ce qui est dans le monde, la convoitise de la chair, et la convoitise des yeux, et l’orgueil de la vie, n’est pas du Père, mais est du monde;
German Elberfelder 1871	denn alles, was in der Welt ist, die Lust des Fleisches und die Lust der Augen und der Hochmut des Lebens, ist nicht von dem Vater, sondern ist von der Welt.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	quoniam omne quod est in mundo, concupiscentia carnis est, et concupiscentia oculorum, et superbia vitæ: quæ non est ex Patre, sed ex mundo est.