1 John 2:7

 

1 John 2:7

(KJV) Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

(1611 KJV) Brethren, I write no new commandement vnto you, but an olde commandement which ye had from the beginning: the old commandement is the word which ye haue heard from the beginning.

(1568 Bishops Bible) Brethren, I write no newe comaundement vnto you, but that olde comaundement which ye haue had from the begynnyng. The olde commaundement is the worde which ye haue hearde fro the begynnyng.

(1526 Tyndale) (7) Brethren I write no newe comaundement vnto you: but that olde comaundemet which ye hearde from the begynnynge. (8) The olde comaundement is the worde which ye hearde from the begynnynge.

 

Counterfeit Versions

(CSB) Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word you have heard.

(NIV) Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.

(NASV) Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.

(AMP) Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [the doctrine of salvation through Christ].

(NLT) Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before.

(ESV) Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

(CEV) My dear friends, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. It is the same one that you were first given, and it is the message you heard.

(NCV) My dear friends, I am not writing a new command to you but an old command you have had from the beginning. It is the teaching you have already heard.

(1901 ASV) Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard.

(NLV) Dear friends, I am not writing a new Law for you to obey. It is an old Law you have had from the beginning. The old Law is the Word that you have heard.

(HCSB) Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command, but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard.

(RSV) Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.

(NAB-Roman Catholic) Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Beloved ones, I am writing YOU, not a new commandment, but an old commandment which YOU have had from [the] beginning. This old commandment is the word which YOU heard.

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

adeljoi ouk entolhn kainhn grajw umin all entolhn palaian hn eicete ap archV h entolh h palaia estin o logoV on hkousate ap archV

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

agaphtoi ouk entolhn kainhn grajw umin all entolhn palaian hn eicete ap archV h entolh h palaia estin o logoV on hkousate

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century

C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century

P 025 - Ninth century

33 (Miniscule) - Ninth Century

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)

K 018 - Ninth century

P 025 - Ninth century

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Omit “from the beginning”

Lachmann, Karl - 1842

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Weiss, Bernhard - 1894

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902

 

Affected Teaching

One of the main teachings of the Bible is that all things started with the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:1 KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So when the modern versions remove the quotation concerning the beginning they are removing a reference to Christ. (1 John 1:1 KJV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; John spoke much of the beginning being identified with Christ. Christ had no beginning because He is eternal God but the beginning of the Gospel which John is speaking about is referencing Christ. He goes on to say that the Old Commandment remains the same. Christ is identified with the Old Commandment, in other words, he is the Great I Am of Sinai where the Law was given. To remove the phrase “from the beginning” it removes the fact that Christ was the great lawgiver. As John pens this Gospel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Jews in attendance would have known immediately what was in view here as the Jews were brought up in the knowledge of the Old Testament. John is connecting the Old and New Testament and Christ is that connecting person between the two Testaments. This is why that phrase “from the beginning” is very important. Once again the modern versions mutilate this truth.

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