This verse, showing how one can abide in Christ, concludes the preceding section. At the same time it states briefly the thought that is developed more fully in the next section (in 3.7 and 9). As such the verse has transitional function.

Here if introduces a clause that does not express a hypothetical possibility but refers to an obvious fact. Accordingly one may better use a connective that means “since,” “as it is a fact that.” With a shift to coordination this may lead to a rendering of the sentence like ‘You know that Christ is righteous; you may be sure, then, that….’

He is righteous: just as in the preceding verse, the pronoun here refers to Christ (also called “righteous” in 2.1; 3.7). At the end of the verse, however, “him” must refer to God (see below). The verb is in the present tense to show that the reference is to a continuous reality. For righteous see comments on “just” in 1.9.

For you may be sure, see comments on 1 John 2.3. The Greek form can have indicative or imperative force. The former is more probable, because the verb usually occurs in the indicative mood in this Letter, and because this agrees better with the reference to fact made in the preceding clause.

That every one who does right is born of him: to emphasize the correspondence between this that clause and the preceding one, the Greek uses kai in the sense of “also,” “similarly.” This is better represented in translation, not omitted as done in Revised Standard Version and some other versions.

† “To do right,” or ‘to do what is right,’ is an expression that often occurs in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint. Here (and in 3.7, 10) it is used in the sense of to imitate Christ, who did what is right and is doing so now. For “to do” in similar occurrences, see comments on 1.6. Right is what is in accordance with God’s will; renderings are often built on the concept of straightness, or propriety, or goodness, compare “just” in 1.9.

Is born of him: the pronoun refers to God, as is clear from the next verse. The expression is a rather unexpected one here, since the line of thought seemed to lead up to something like “abides in him (or in Christ).” The writer probably preferred to use is born of him as a prelude to the following section. He could do so because “to abide in” and “to be born of” are synonymous, in that both phrases express a close and intimate relationship. And it was natural for him to do so because in his theology God and Christ, the Father and the Son, are essentially one.

† “To be born of” is in the Greek literally “to have been begotten out of.” Used metaphorically the verb serves to indicate a relationship that is comparable to that between a father and his child; for example, the relationship between a teacher and his pupils, or an evangelist and his converts (as in 1 Cor 4.15; Philemon 10). More specifically it is applied to the relationship between God and those who believe in him. Other occurrences of the expression, used also in connection with God, are 3.9 (which see for further details); 4.7; 5.4, 18; compare also “is a child of God,” in the Greek literally “has been born out of God,” in 5.1.

The verb is born is in the perfect tense. This is to indicate that the resulting relationship is in focus. Therefore it is often best to say ‘is his child,’ ‘is a child of God.’ Such a rendering is especially useful where a more literal translation of the verb would have undesirable connotations. This is the case, for example, in one Philippine language, where ‘is born of’ commonly refers to the illegitimate child of a married man; or in one American Indian language, where “to be born of God” would have to be rendered by an expression that literally means ‘to be dropped by God.’

If the imagery of birth or being God’s child would be unacceptable or incomprehensible, one may shift to a simile, or describe the relationship in another way; for example, ‘in God is the beginning of his life.’

Quoted with permission from Haas, C., de Jonge, M. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on The First Letter of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .