1 John 2 · Verse 8

1 John 2:8

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

1 John 2:8, King James Version

1 John 2:8 in other translations

BSB	Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.
WEB	Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines.
ASV	Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth.
YLT	again, a new command I write to you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness doth pass away, and the true light doth now shine;
DARBY	Again, I write a new commandment to you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light already shines.
BBE	Again, I give you a new law, which is true in him and in you; for the night is near its end and the true light is even now shining out.
Webster	Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

What does 1 John 2:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. a new commandment--It was "old," in that Christians as such had heard it from the first; but "new" (Greek, "kaine," not "nea": new and different from the old legal precept) in that it was first clearly promulgated with Christianity; though the inner spirit of the law was love even to enemies, yet it was enveloped in some bitter precepts which caused it to be temporarily almost unrecognized, till the Gospel came. Christianity first put love to brethren on the new and highest MOTIVE, instinctive love to Him who first loved us, constraining us to love all, even enemies, thereby walking in the steps of Him who loved us when enemies. So Jesus calls it "new," Joh 13:34, 35, "Love one another as I have loved you" (the new motive); Joh 15:12. which thing is true in him and in you--"In Christ all things are always true, and were so from the beginning; but in Christ and in us conjointly the commandment [the love of brethren] is then true when we acknowledge the truth which is in Him, and have the same flourishing in us" [Bengel]. Alford explains, "Which thing (the fact that the commandment is a new one) is true in Him and in you because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is now shining; that is, the commandment is a new one, and this is true both in the case of Christ and in the case of you; because in you the darkness is passing away, and in Him the true light is shining; therefore, on both accounts, the command is a new one: new as regards you, because you are newly come from darkness into light; new as regards Him, because He uttered it when He came into the world to lighten every man, and began that shining which even now continues." I prefer, as Bengel, to explain, The new commandment finds its truth in its practical realization in the walk of Christians in union with Christ. Compare the use of "verily," 1Jo 2:5. Joh 4:42, "indeed"; Joh 6:55. The repetition of "in" before "you," "in Him and in you," not "in Him and you" implies that the love commandment finds its realization separately: first it did so "in Him," and then it does so "in us," in so far as we now "also walk even as He walked"; and yet it finds its realization also conjointly, by the two being united in one sentence, even as it is by virtue of the love commandment having been first fulfilled in Him, that it is also now fulfilled in us, through His Spirit in us: compare a similar case, Joh 20:17, "My Father and your Father"; by virtue of His being "My Father," He is also your Father. darkness is past--rather, as in 1Jo 2:17, "is passing away." It shall not be wholly "past" until "the Sun of righteousness" shall arise visibly; "the light is now shining" already, though but partially until the day bursts forth.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 8. Again, a new commandment I write unto you. "And yet, that which I write to you, and particularly enjoin on you, deserves in another sense to be called a new commandment, though it has been also inculcated from the beginning, for it was called new by the Saviour himself." Or the meaning may be, "In addition to the general precepts which I have referred to, I do now call your attention to the new commandment of the Saviour, that which he himself called new." There can be no doubt here that John refers to the commandment to "love one another," (1Jn 2:9-11,) and that it is here called new, not in the sense that John inculcated it as a novel doctrine, but in the sense that the Saviour called it such. For the reasons why it was so called by him, Jn 13:34.

Which thing is true in him. In the Lord Jesus. That is, which commandment or law of love was illustrated in him, or was manifested by him in his intercourse with his disciples. That which was most prominent in him was this very love which he enjoined on all his followers.

And in you. Among you. That is, you have manifested it in your intercourse with each other. It is not new in the sense that you have never heard of it, and have never evinced it, but in the sense only that he called it new.

Because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. The ancient systems of error, under which men hated each other, have passed away, and you are brought into the light of the true religion. Once you were in darkness, like others; now the light of the pure gospel shines around you, and that requires, as its distinguishing characteristic, love. Religion is often represented as light; and Christ spoke of himself, and was spoken of, as the light of the world. Jn 1:4; Jn 1:5. Comp. Jn 8:12; Jn 12:35,36,46, Isa 9:2.

(c) "new commandment" Jn 13:34 (d) "darkness" Rom 13:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 Which thing is true in him and in you - It is true that Christ loved the world so well as to lay down his life for it; and it was true in them, in all his faithful followers at that time, who were ready to lay down their lives for the testimony of Jesus. There is a saying in Synopsis Sohar, p. 94, n. 51, that may cast some light on this passage: That way in which the just have walked, although it be Old, yet may be said to be New in the love of the righteous. The love that the righteous bear to God and to each other is a renewal of the commandment. The darkness is past - The total thick darkness of the heathen world, and the comparative darkness of the Mosaic dispensation, are now passing away; and the pure and superior light of Christianity is now diffusing its beams everywhere. He does not say that the darkness was all gone by, but παραγεται, it is passing away; he does not say that the fullness of the light had appeared, but ηδη φαινει, it is now shining and will shine more and more to the perfect day; for the darkness passes away in proportion as the light shines and increases.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 2:3-11

What knowledge of Christ can that be, which sees not that he is most worthy of our entire obedience? And a disobedient life shows there is neither religion nor honesty in the professor. The love of God is perfected in him that keeps his commandments. God's grace in him attains its true mark, and produces its sovereign effect as far as may be in this world, and this is man's regeneration; though never absolutely…

Read the full comment on 1 John 2:3-11 →

1 John 2:8 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.

πάλινpalinAgainG3825

ἐντολὴνentolēna commandmentG1785

καινὴνkainēnnewG2537

γράφωgraphōI am writingG1125

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

ὅhowhichG3739

ἐστινestinisG1510

ἀληθὲςalēthestrueG227

ἐνeninG1722

αὐτῷautōHimG846

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐνeninG1722

ὑμῖν,huminyou,G4771

ὅτιhotibecauseG3754

ἡhētheG3588

σκοτίαskotiadarknessG4653

παράγεταιparagetaiis passing awayG3855

καὶkaiandG2532

τὸtotheG3588

φῶςphōslightG5457

τὸto<the>G3588

ἀληθινὸνalēthinontrueG228

ἤδηēdēalreadyG2235

φαίνει.phaineishines.G5316

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

Cross references for 1 John 2:8

Ephesians 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Romans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
2 Corinthians 4:4-6
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
John 1:9
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John 1:4-5
In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
1 John 4:21
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-8
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. …
Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
John 15:12-15
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

a new.
4:21; Joh 13:34; 15:12
which.
3:14-16; 4:11; Joh 15:12-15; 2Co 8:9; Eph 5:1,2; 1Pe 1:21; 4:1-3
the darkness.
So 2:11,12; Isa 9:2; 60:1-3; Mt 4:16; Lu 1:79; Joh 12:46; Ac 17:30
Ac 26:18; Ro 13:12; 2Co 4:4-6; Eph 5:8; 1Th 5:5-8
and the.
Ps 27:1; 36:9; 84:11; Mal 4:2; Joh 1:4,5,9; 8:12; 12:35; 2Ti 1:10

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

Context

1 John 2:7
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.
1 John 2:8
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
1 John 2:9
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

Read all of 1 John 2

1 John 2:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Otra vez os escribo un mandamiento nuevo, que es verdadero en él y en vosotros; porque las tinieblas son pasadas, y la verdadera luz ya alumbra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Encore une fois, je vous écris un commandement nouveau, ce qui est vrai en lui et en vous, parce que les ténèbres s’en vont et que la vraie lumière luit déjà.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wiederum schreibe ich euch ein neues Gebot, das was wahr ist in ihm und in euch, weil die Finsternis vergeht und das wahrhaftige Licht schon leuchtet.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Iterum mandatum novum scribo vobis, quod verum est et in ipso, et in vobis: quia tenebræ transierunt, et verum lumen jam lucet.