1 John 2:29
New International Version
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

New Living Translation
Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.

English Standard Version
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Berean Standard Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

Berean Literal Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you know also that everyone practicing righteousness has been begotten of Him.

King James Bible
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

New King James Version
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

New American Standard Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also has been born of Him.

NASB 1995
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

NASB 1977
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Legacy Standard Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who does righteousness has been born of Him.

Amplified Bible
If you know that He is absolutely righteous, you know [for certain] that everyone who practices righteousness [doing what is right and conforming to God’s will] has been born of Him.

Christian Standard Bible
If you know that he is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.

American Standard Version
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.

Contemporary English Version
You know Christ always does right and everyone who does right is a child of God.

English Revised Version
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If you know that Christ has God's approval, you also know that everyone who does what God approves of has been born from God.

Good News Translation
You know that Christ is righteous; you should know, then, that everyone who does what is right is God's child.

International Standard Version
Since you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by God.

Majority Standard Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

NET Bible
If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.

New Heart English Bible
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of him.

Webster's Bible Translation
If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Weymouth New Testament
Since you know that He is righteous, be assured also that the man who habitually acts righteously is a child of His.

World English Bible
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
if you know that He is righteous, know that everyone doing righteousness, has been begotten of Him.

Berean Literal Bible
If you know that He is righteous, you know also that everyone practicing righteousness has been begotten of Him.

Young's Literal Translation
if ye know that he is righteous, know ye that every one doing the righteousness, of him hath been begotten.

Smith's Literal Translation
If ye know that he is just, ye know that every one doing justice has been born of him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If you know, that he is just, know ye, that every one also, who doth justice, is born of him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If you know that he is just, then know, too, that all who do what is just are born of him.

New American Bible
If you consider that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him.

New Revised Standard Version
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If you know that he is righteous, you know also that every one who does righteousness is of him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And if you know that he is righteous, know also that everyone who does righteousness is from him.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
If you know that he is righteous, you know that every one that works righteousness has been begotten by him.

Godbey New Testament
If you may know that he is righteous, know that every one doing righteousness has been born of him.

Haweis New Testament
If ye know that he is righteous, know that every one who practises righteousness is born of him.

Mace New Testament
since you know that God is the source of virtue, you know that every one who has virtue, derives it from him.

Weymouth New Testament
Since you know that He is righteous, be assured also that the man who habitually acts righteously is a child of His.

Worrell New Testament
If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that does righteousness has been begotten of Him.

Worsley New Testament
If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one, who practiseth righteousness, is born of Him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Continue in Him
28And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. 29If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

Cross References
1 John 3:7
Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.

John 3:3-7
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” / “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?” / Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ...

1 John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.

Matthew 7:16-20
By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. / A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ...

James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? / Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. / If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? ...

Romans 6:16-18
Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness? / But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed. / You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, / gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone. / It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age, / as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. ...

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Philippians 1:11
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Hebrews 12:10-11
Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. / No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.


Treasury of Scripture

If you know that he is righteous, you know that every one that does righteousness is born of him.

he is.

1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1 John 3:5
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

ye know.

1 John 3:7,10
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous…

Jeremiah 13:23
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Matthew 7:16-18
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? …

is born.

1 John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

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1 John 2
1. He comforts them against the sins of infirmity.
3. Rightly to know God is to keep his commandments;
9. to love our brothers;
15. and not to love the world.
18. We must beware of antichrists;
20. from whose deceits the godly are safe, preserved by perseverance in faith, and holiness of life.














If you know
The Greek word for "know" here is "οἴδατε" (oidate), which implies a deep, intuitive understanding or awareness. This knowledge is not merely intellectual but experiential, suggesting a relationship with God that goes beyond surface-level acquaintance. In the context of 1 John, this knowledge is rooted in the believer's personal experience with Christ and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. It is a call to believers to reflect on their intimate relationship with God, which assures them of His righteous nature.

that He is righteous
The term "righteous" in Greek is "δίκαιος" (dikaios), which denotes someone who is just, virtuous, and in right standing. This righteousness is intrinsic to God's character, reflecting His holiness and justice. Historically, the righteousness of God is a central theme throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament's portrayal of God's covenant faithfulness to the New Testament's revelation of His righteousness through Christ. Believers are reminded that God's righteousness is the standard and source of all true righteousness.

you also know
This phrase reiterates the certainty and assurance that comes from knowing God. The repetition emphasizes the confidence believers can have in their understanding of spiritual truths. It suggests that the knowledge of God's righteousness naturally leads to further insights about the nature of those who are truly His. This assurance is a hallmark of the Christian faith, providing believers with a firm foundation for their identity in Christ.

that everyone who practices righteousness
The word "practices" comes from the Greek "ποιῶν" (poiōn), meaning to make, do, or perform. It implies ongoing action and habitual behavior. Righteousness, therefore, is not a one-time act but a continuous lifestyle. This phrase challenges believers to examine their lives for evidence of righteous living, which is the fruit of a genuine relationship with God. Historically, the early church emphasized the importance of living out one's faith through righteous deeds, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel.

has been born of Him
The concept of being "born of Him" is rooted in the Greek "γεγέννηται" (gegennētai), which means to be begotten or born. This phrase speaks to the spiritual rebirth that occurs when one becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It echoes the teachings of Jesus in John 3 about being "born again" and signifies a new identity and nature imparted to believers. This new birth is a work of the Holy Spirit, marking the believer as part of God's family and empowering them to live righteously. Historically, this concept was revolutionary, emphasizing the personal and transformative relationship each believer has with God, distinct from mere religious observance.

Verse 29. - This verse forms a bridge between the two main divisions of the Epistle. The coming of Christ suggests the righteousness of Christ; for it is as the righteous Judge that he is coming, and those who would not be ashamed to meet him at his coming must be righteous also. Once more (verse 27) we are in doubt between indicative and imperative: γινώσκετε, in spite of the preceding μένετε and following ἴδετε, is probably indicative. To know that God (not Christ; comp. 1 John 1:9; John 17:25) is righteous is to perceive that every doer of his τήν righteousness is a son of God (not of Christ; we are nowhere in Scripture said to be born of Christ). To partake of that righteousness which is God's nature is proof of birth from him. With ποιεῖν τὴν δικαιοσύνην, compare ποιεῖν τὴν ἀληθείαν (1 John 1:6; John 3:21). Righteousness must be shown in conduct; mere desire to be righteous will not suffice. And the conduct must be habitual ὁ ποιῶν not ὁ ποιήσας; a single act of righteousness will not suffice. Note the change from εἰδῆτε to γινώσκετε. To know (intuitively) that God is righteous is to come to know (by experience) that whoever habitually acts righteously is God's offspring.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
Ἐὰν (Ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

you know
εἰδῆτε (eidēte)
Verb - Perfect Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

He is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

righteous,
δίκαιός (dikaios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1342: From dike; equitable; by implication, innocent, holy.

you also know
γινώσκετε (ginōskete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

everyone
πᾶς (pas)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

who
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

practices
ποιῶν (poiōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

righteousness
δικαιοσύνην (dikaiosynēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.

is born
γεγέννηται (gegennētai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1080: From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate.

of
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

Him.
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Letters: 1 John 2:29 If you know that he is righteous (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 2:28
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