1 John 2 · Verse 28

1 John 2:28

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
1 John 2:28, King James Version

1 John 2:28 in other translations

BSBAnd now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.
WEBNow, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
ASVAnd now, my little children, abide in him; that, if he shall be manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
YLTAnd now, little children, remain in him, that when he may be manifested, we may have boldness, and may not be ashamed before him, in his presence;
DARBYAnd now, children, abide in him, that if he be manifested we may have boldness, and not be put to shame from before him at his coming.
BBEAnd now, my children, keep your hearts in him; so that at his revelation, we may have no fear or shame before him at his coming.
WebsterAnd now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

What does 1 John 2:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. little children--Greek, "little sons," as in 1Jo 2:12; believers of every stage and age. abide in him--Christ. John repeats his monition with a loving appellation, as a father addressing dear children. when--literally, "if"; the uncertainty is not as to the fact, but the time. appear--Greek, "be manifested." we--both writer and readers. ashamed before him--literally, "from Him"; shrink back from Him ashamed. Contrast "boldness in the day of judgment," 1Jo 4:17; compare 1Jo 3:21; 5:14. In the Apocalypse (written, therefore, Bengel thinks, subsequently), Christ's coming is represented as put off to a greater distance.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 28. And now, little children. 1Jn 2:1. Abide in him; that, when he shall appear. In the end of the world, to receive his people to himself. Jn 14:2,3. We may have confidence. Greek, boldness--παρρησιαν. This word is commonly used to denote openness, plainness, or boldness in speaking, Mk 8:32, Jn 7:4,13,26, Acts 2:29, 4:13,29, 2Cor 3:12, 7:4. Here it means the kind of boldness, or calm assurance, which arises from evidence of piety, and of preparation for heaven. It means that they would not be overwhelmed and confounded at the coming of the Saviour, by its being then found that all their hopes were fallacious.

And not be ashamed before him at his coming. By having all our hopes taken away; by being held up to the universe as guilty and condemned. We feel ashamed when our hopes are disappointed; when it is shown that we have a character different from what we professed to have; when our pretensions to goodness are stripped off, and the heart is made bare. Many will thus be ashamed in the last day, (Mt 7:21-23;) but it is one of the promises made to those who truly believe on the Saviour, that they shall never be ashamed or confounded. 1Pet 2:6, Comp. Isa 45:17, Rom 5:5, 1Pet 4:16, Mk 8:38.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 And now, little children - Τεκνια, Beloved children, abide in him - in Christ Jesus. Let his word and spirit continually abide in you, and have communion with the Father and the Son. That when he shall appear - To judge the world, we may have confidence, παρῥησιαν, freedom of speech, liberty of access, boldness, from a conviction that our cause is good, and that we have had proper ground for exultation; and not be ashamed - confounded, when it appears that those who were brought to Christ Jesus, have apostatized, and are no longer found in the congregation of the saints, and consequently are not our crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. Abide in him, that this may not be the case.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 2:24-29

The truth of Christ, abiding in us, is a means to sever from sin, and unites us to the Son of God, Joh 15:3, 4. What value should we put upon gospel truth! Thereby the promise of eternal life is made sure. The promise God makes, is suitable to his own greatness, power, and goodness; it is eternal life. The Spirit of truth will not lie; and he teaches all things in the present dispensation, all things necessary to…

Read the full comment on 1 John 2:24-29 →

1 John 2:28 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
νῦν,nunnow,G3568
τεκνία,teknialittle children,G5040
μένετεmenetedo abideG3306
ἐνeninG1722
αὐτῷ,autōHim,G846
ἵναinaso thatG2443
ἐὰνeanifG1437
φανερωθῇ,phanerōthēaHe shall appearG5319
σχῶμενschōmenwe may haveG2192
παρρησίανparrēsianboldnessG3954
καὶkaiandG2532
μὴmēnotG3361
αἰσχυνθῶμενaischunthōmenmay be ashamedG153
ἀπ᾽ap᾽beforeG575
αὐτοῦautouHimG846
ἐνenatG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
παρουσίᾳparousiacomingG3952
αὐτοῦ.autouof Him.G846

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

Cross references for 1 John 2:28

  • 1 John 4:17

    Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

  • Mark 8:38

    Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

  • 1 Thessalonians 3:13

    To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

  • 1 John 3:2

    Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

  • 1 John 3:21

    Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

  • Colossians 3:4

    When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

  • Hebrews 9:28

    So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

  • Malachi 3:2

    But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:19

    For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

  • 1 Peter 5:4

    And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:7

    So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
little.
1
when.
3:2; Mr 8:38; Col 3:4; 1Ti 6:14; 2Ti 4:8; Tit 2:13; Heb 9:28
1Pe 1:7; 5:4; Re 1:7
have.
3:21; 4:17; Isa 25:9; 45:17; Ro 9:33
at his.
Mal 3:2; 4:5; 1Co 1:7; 15:23; 1Th 3:13; 5:23; 2Pe 3:4-12

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

Context

  • 1 John 2:27

    But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

  • 1 John 2:28

    And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

  • 1 John 2:29

    If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Read all of 1 John 2

1 John 2:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ahora, hijitos, perseverad en él; para que cuando apareciere, tengamos confianza, y no seamos confundidos de él en su venida.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et maintenant, enfants, demeurez en lui, afin que, quand il sera manifesté, nous ayons de l’assurance et que nous ne soyons pas couverts de honte, de par lui, à sa venue.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun, Kinder, bleibet in ihm, auf daß wir, wenn er geoffenbart werden wird, Freimütigkeit haben und nicht vor ihm beschämt werden bei seiner Ankunft.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nunc, filioli, manete in eo: ut cum apparuerit, habeamus fiduciam, et non confundamur ab eo in adventu ejus.