Paragraph 2:18–21

Read 2:18–21 in both Berean Standard Bible and Good News Translation. Compare the two versions.

Paragraph Theme: In these verses John reassures his readers that they have received the Holy Spirit, and so they know God’s truth. In this way they are different from the false teachers.

2:18a

Children: (Cross-cultural Difference) Here, as in 2:1, John is writing as a respected leader to churches for which he is responsible. He is showing fatherly affection.

the last hour: (Meaning) John is saying that the time when the world will come to an end is no longer distant and that we are in the last period of the world’s time. As this is a metaphorical use of the word “hour” it may be more natural in your language to translate it as “the last days” or “the time when the world is about to end.”

2:18b

you have heard: (Lexical Problem) In some languages it may be necessary to state who told them this. In that case it should be expressed as indefinite, “One told you,” or as “We (John and the other apostles) told you.”

2:18c

the antichrist: (Biblical Term) In this letter John uses this term in the sense of a person who is opposed to Christ, “the enemy of Christ.”

is coming: (Meaning) This means that the antichrist will appear in the world, not that he will come from some other place.

2:18d

so now many antichrists have appeared: (Focus) John is not telling his readers this as if they did not know it. He is reminding his readers of what they already know—that there are many false teachers about. He does this in order to prove that they really are in the last days of the world and therefore they do need to hold on firmly to God’s word.

2:18e

This is how we know: (Pronoun Reference) The word this refers to the fact that many antichrists have appeared.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.