Bible Strands
1 John 2:9
If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The author addresses believers immediately after declaring that the true light is already shining, framing the verse as a diagnostic warning against false spiritual claims.
The words — The Greek participle λέγων (legōn) means claiming and modifies the subject noun ὁ (ho), literally identifying the one making the assertion rather than the prepositional phrase about the light.
The thread — The author develops this claim-and-reality pattern in 1 John 2:10 and 1 John 2:11, and applies the identical structure to divine love in 1 John 4:20.
Why it lands — The text states that verbal claims of spiritual illumination are invalidated by hatred toward a brother, requiring readers to treat relational conduct as the objective measure of their true standing.
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
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
Cross-references
- 1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
- 1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
- 1 John 3:13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.
- Psalms 82:5 They do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.
- 2 Peter 1:9 But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
- 1 John 2:4 If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- 1 John 1:6 If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
- John 9:41 “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
- Romans 2:18 if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;