Antichrists and the Anointing of Truth
1 John 2:18-27
1John.2.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Παιδια: NOUN,voc,pl,m
- εσχατη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- ωρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- καθως: CONJ
- ηκουσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- αντιχριστος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ερχεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- νυν: ADV
- αντιχριστοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- γεγονασιν·οθεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,pl
- γινωσκομεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- εσχατη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- ωρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- 1 John 2:22 (verbal): Immediate Johannine parallel that defines 'antichrist' as the one who denies the Father and the Son—clarifies the term used in 2:18.
- 1 John 4:3 (verbal): Same Johannine circle: speaks of 'the spirit of the antichrist' and how false spirits deny Jesus, reinforcing the claim that many antichrists are already present.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (thematic): Paul's eschatological portrait of the 'man of lawlessness' who opposes Christ parallels the warning about an opposing, coming figure in the last days.
- Matthew 24:4-5,24 (thematic): Jesus' warning about false Christs and false prophets in the end times echoes the motif of deceivers arising in the last hour.
- Revelation 13:1-8 (thematic): The beast imagery depicts an eschatological adversary persecuting the faithful—an apocalyptic counterpart to the 'antichrist' threat in 1 John 2:18.
Alternative generated candidates
- Children, it is the last hour; and as you heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared—thereby we know it is the last hour.
- Children, it is the last hour. As you have heard that antichrist is coming, now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.
1John.2.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εξ: PREP
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- εξηλθαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αλλ᾽ουκ: CONJ
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- εξ: PREP
- ημων·ει: PRON,gen,pl,1+PART,cond
- γαρ: PART
- εξ: PREP
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- μεμενηκεισαν: VERB,pres,opt,act,3,pl
- αν: PART
- μεθ᾽ημων·αλλ᾽ινα: PREP+PRON,gen,pl,1+CONJ,sub
- φανερωθωσιν: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- εξ: PREP
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
Parallels
- John 6:66 (thematic): Many disciples 'turned back and no longer walked with' Jesus — parallels the idea of people departing from the community/way, showing apostolic departure as a sign they were not true followers.
- John 6:70-71 (verbal): Jesus' remark that 'not all of you are' (or 'one of you is a devil') echoes 1 John’s claim that some who left were not really 'of us' — a close verbal/thematic parallel about insiders who are not genuine.
- Acts 20:30 (thematic): Paul warns that 'men will arise from among you' who draw away disciples — parallels 1 John’s concern that false teachers come out from the community itself.
- Matthew 13:24-30 (parable of the tares) (allusion): The coexistence of true and false within the same field (wheat and tares) corresponds to 1 John’s explanation that some leave to show they never truly belonged.
- 2 Peter 2:1 (thematic): Peter’s warning about false teachers 'who will secretly bring in destructive heresies' among the people aligns with 1 John’s identification of departing individuals as not truly part of the faithful community.
Alternative generated candidates
- They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would have remained with us. Their departure showed that none of them belonged to us.
- They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would have remained with us. Their going out made clear that none of them belonged to us.
1John.2.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- χρισμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- απο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αγιου: ADJ,gen,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- παντες·: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- 1 John 2:27 (verbal): Uses the same root idea of χρίσμα/ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου; expands that the anointing abides in believers and teaches them, explaining how they 'know'.
- 1 John 2:21 (verbal): Close verbal and thematic link—John insists his readers already 'know' the truth, echoing 'οἴδατε πάντες' in 2:20.
- John 14:17 (thematic): The Spirit of truth 'dwells with you and will be in you' and is known by believers—parallels the anointing from the Holy One as the source of Christian knowledge.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (verbal): Paul speaks of God who 'anoints' and 'seals' believers with the Spirit—uses χρίειν/χρίσμα language and links anointing with divine presence and assurance.
- Isaiah 61:1 (allusion): OT prophecy of being anointed by the Lord (LXX χρίω/ἐχρίσθη) provides background for NT language of anointing by the Holy One.
Alternative generated candidates
- But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
- But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know.
1John.2.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εγραψα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- οτι: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αληθειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αλλ᾽οτι: CONJ
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- οτι: CONJ
- παν: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- ψευδος: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αληθειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- 1 John 2:20 (verbal): Immediate parallel in the same letter: both verses state that the readers 'know the truth' (ἐπίστετέγνω) as the basis for the author's argument against falsehood.
- 1 John 2:27 (thematic): Continues the theme of internal instruction: the anointing that abides in believers teaches them the truth, reinforcing the claim that they already possess true knowledge and can reject falsehood.
- 1 John 4:6 (thematic): Sets up the contrast between 'spirit of truth' and 'spirit of error' and gives criteria for discerning truth—echoing v.21's distinction between truth and falsehood.
- 1 John 1:6-10 (thematic): Earlier in the epistle the author contrasts walking in truth versus walking in falsehood (lying, claiming fellowship while in darkness), developing the same ethical and epistemic contrast found in 2:21.
- John 8:32 (thematic): Broader Johannine parallel: knowledge of the truth is linked to a decisive moral/spiritual standing (the truth sets free), highlighting the importance of recognizing true teaching and rejecting falsehood.
Alternative generated candidates
- I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it—and because no lie comes from the truth.
- I write to you not because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it—and because no lie comes from the truth.
1John.2.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ψευστης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αρνουμενος: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,m,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- χριστος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αντιχριστος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αρνουμενος: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,m,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 John 2:23 (verbal): Directly parallel: affirms that denying the Son means one does not have the Father, and confessing the Son means having the Father—same denial/confession contrast.
- 1 John 4:3 (thematic): Identifies spirits that do not confess Jesus as not from God and as the spirit of the antichrist—echoes the link between denial of Jesus and the antichrist.
- 2 John 1:7 (verbal): Speaks of deceivers who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh and calls them antichrists/deceivers—closely parallels the charge of denying Christ.
- 1 John 2:18 (thematic): Earlier verse in the same letter introducing the coming of the antichrist(s); provides the broader context for the identification in 2:22.
- John 5:23 (thematic): Jesus teaches that honoring the Son is equivalent to honoring the Father, so failure to honor/confess the Son amounts to dishonoring/denying the Father—parallels the Father–Son denial logic.
Alternative generated candidates
- Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist: the one who denies both the Father and the Son.
- Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? That person is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
1John.2.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αρνουμενος: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ptc,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εχει·ο: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ομολογων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εχει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- 1 John 4:15 (verbal): Uses similar language of confessing the Son and God’s presence: 'Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him,' echoing the reciprocal 'has the Son/has the Father.'
- 1 John 5:12 (verbal): Parallels the possession formula: 'Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life,' reinforcing the mutual possession motif (Son ↔ Father) in 2:23.
- 1 John 2:22 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel: identifies deniers of the Son as liars/antichrists and links denial of the Son with repudiation of the Father, preparing the conclusion in 2:23.
- Matthew 10:33 (thematic): Jesus' warning that denial of him before others leads to being denied before the Father reflects the same theological link between confessing/denying the Son and one’s relationship to the Father.
- Romans 10:9 (thematic): Affirms the salvific importance of verbal confession of Jesus as Lord—paralleling 1 John’s emphasis that confessing the Son is decisive for belonging to the Father.
Alternative generated candidates
- Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
- Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
1John.2.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ηκουσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- απ᾽αρχης: PREP
- εν: PREP
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- μενετω·εαν: VERB,pres,act,imp,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- μεινη: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- απ᾽αρχης: PREP
- ηκουσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- υιω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πατρι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- μενειτε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- 1 John 2:7 (verbal): Uses the same language about 'the commandment/what you heard from the beginning,' emphasizing continuity of the original teaching.
- 1 John 3:11 (verbal): Explicitly repeats 'the message you have heard from the beginning' (the command to love), echoing the same 'heard from the beginning' formula.
- John 15:4-5 (thematic): Jesus' 'abide in me, and I in you' theme parallels 1 John’s promise that remaining in the teaching results in remaining in the Son and the Father—union through persevering connection.
- John 8:31-32 (verbal): 'If you continue/abide in my word...' closely parallels 1 John 2:24’s conditional 'if what you heard from the beginning remains in you,' linking perseverance in the word with relationship to Jesus.
- 1 John 2:27 (structural): Speaks of the anointing that 'remains in you' and the sufficiency of what has been received—echoing the structural motif of something received/heard abiding within the believer.
Alternative generated candidates
- As for you, let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
- As for you, let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.
1John.2.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- επαγγελια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτος: PRON,nom,sg,3,m
- επηγγειλατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ζωην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αιωνιον: ADJ,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- 1 John 5:11-13 (verbal): Directly echoes the language and theme: the testimony that God has given us eternal life in the Son, reaffirming the promised 'eternal life' mentioned in 1 John 2:25.
- John 3:16 (thematic): Central Johannine promise that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; parallels 1 John’s assurance of life given through Christ.
- John 10:28 (quotation): Jesus’ explicit promise, 'I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish,' aligns with the claim that believers receive eternal life as a divine gift.
- Romans 6:23 (thematic): Paulic formulation contrasting death as wage of sin with 'the free gift of God' — eternal life through Christ — paralleling 1 John’s presentation of life as God’s promise.
- John 17:3 (allusion): Defines what 'eternal life' means in Johannine terms—knowledge of the Father and the Son—clarifying the character of the promised life in 1 John 2:25.
Alternative generated candidates
- This is the promise he himself made to us—eternal life.
- And this is the promise that he promised us—eternal life.
1John.2.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ταυτα: PRON,nom,pl,n
- εγραψα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- περι: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πλανωντων: PART,pres,act,gen,pl,masc
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
Parallels
- 1John 2:18 (verbal): Same epistolary formula ('I write to you') and warning about antichrists/deceivers within the same letter — similar purpose in addressing deceivers.
- 1John 4:1 (thematic): Urges discernment about spirits and false teachers — thematically connected as instruction to resist deception.
- 2John 1:7 (verbal): Explicitly speaks of 'many deceivers' who deny Christ; closely parallels the charge and vocabulary about those leading believers astray.
- Matthew 24:4 (thematic): Jesus' warning 'See that no one leads you astray' (πλανᾶν) echoes the broader NT concern to guard believers against deception.
- Jude 1:3 (structural): Jude states he 'found it necessary to write' because of intruders who pervert the faith — parallels John’s authorial motive for writing about deceivers.
Alternative generated candidates
- I have written these things to you about those who would lead you astray.
- I have written these things to you about those who would lead you astray.
1John.2.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- χρισμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ελαβετε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- απ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- μενει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- και: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- χρειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- ινα: CONJ
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- διδασκη: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- υμας·αλλ᾽ως: PRON,acc,pl,2+CONJ+ADV
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- χρισμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- διδασκει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- περι: PREP
- παντων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αληθες: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ψευδος: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- καθως: CONJ
- εδιδαξεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- μενετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- εν: PREP
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- John 14:26 (thematic): Jesus says the Helper (Holy Spirit) will teach the disciples and remind them of Jesus' teaching—paralleling 1 John’s claim that the anointing teaches believers about all things.
- John 16:13 (thematic): The Spirit of truth will guide into all truth; this parallels 1 John’s emphasis that the anointing instructs believers in truth and is not false.
- 1 John 2:20 (verbal): Immediate Johannine parallel: the same letter already affirms ‘you have an anointing from the Holy One,’ providing the same theological basis for spiritual discernment.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (allusion): Paul speaks of God establishing, anointing, and giving the Spirit as a guarantee—resonating with 1 John’s portrayal of an abiding anointing (Spirit) that secures and teaches believers.
- 1 John 4:6 (thematic): Contrast between spirits that are of God (spirit of truth) and spirits of error echoes 1 John 2:27’s stress that the anointing teaches what is true and not false, enabling discernment.
Alternative generated candidates
- The anointing you received from him remains in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you. But as that anointing teaches you about everything and is true and never a lie, remain in him just as it taught you.
- But the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. The anointing teaches you about all things and is true, not a lie; so remain in him, just as it taught you.
Children, the last hour has come. You have heard that antichrist is coming; even now many antichrists have appeared. From this we know that it is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. Their going out showed that none of them truly belonged to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know the truth.
I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it — and because no lie comes from the truth.
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? That one is the antichrist — the one who denies the Father and the Son.
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
As for you, let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise he himself made to us: eternal life.
I have written these things to you about those who would lead you astray.
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you. But as that anointing teaches you about everything and is true and is not a lie, remain in him — just as it taught you.