1 John 2:18

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — John writes to his community ("little children") in the midst of a schism: false teachers have already departed (v. 19), and he declares that the eschatological crisis is not approaching but has arrived.

The words — eschatē hōra (ἑσχατὴ ὥρα) is a fixed idiom for the final eschatological period, not a single moment. antichristos (ἀντίχριστος) appears here for the first time in the New Testament, coined to name a present phenomenon rather than a future figure.

The thread — 1 John 4:3 identifies the "spirit of antichrist" by its denial of Jesus; 2 John 1:7 names "many deceivers" who refuse Christ's incarnation; Matthew 24:24 warns of false Christs who will deceive even the elect.

Why it lands — The verse removes the comfort of distance: the antichrist is not a single future figure but a pattern already operating among people who once sat in the congregation. It asks the reader to test present teaching against the confession of Jesus, now, not later.

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

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Cross-references

1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
1 John 2:22 Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.
Matthew 24:5 For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Matthew 24:11 and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
Mark 13:6 Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,