1 John 1:5

And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — An unnamed "we" writes to a community of believers, stating the core message before immediately turning to its behavioral test in the next verse.

The words — ἔστιν (estin), "is," is the simple copula: the claim is identity, not simile. God is not described as light; He is light.

The thread — Jesus calls himself "the light of the world" (John 8:12), and the Father is "the Father of lights" with no variation (James 1:17); Isaiah 60:19 promises the LORD as Israel's light.

Why it lands — The verse is a standard, not a comfort: if God is light with no darkness, then anyone claiming fellowship while living in darkness is caught in a contradiction (v. 6).

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Cross-references

John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
Isaiah 60:19 No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.
Psalms 27:1 Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?
John 1:9 The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
John 1:4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
Revelation 22:5 There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”