SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 John 2000

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:15

Paragraph 2:15–17

Read 2:15–17 in both Berean Standard Bible and Good News Translation. Compare the two versions.

Paragraph Theme: Here John is appealing to his readers not to love the evil things of this world.

2:15 (Discourse Feature)

In the Greek and English versions there is nothing explicit that connects 2:15–17 and the previous verses. However this paragraph is John’s main appeal, or exhortation, to his readers and it is based on the reassurance he has given them in 2:12–14. In order to make the translation sound natural in your language, you may need to make the connection explicit here by using some joining word or phrase such as “Therefore,” or “So I tell you.”

2:15a

Do not: (Pronoun Reference) Be sure that you translate this so that it clearly refers to all the readers, not just to the last people mentioned, the “young men” (2:14).

love: (Multiple Senses) This is used here in the sense of desiring to get something, or making something the center of all your interests (New English Bible “do not set your hearts on…”).

the world: (Multiple Senses) This does not mean “the people in the world,” which is its meaning in John 3:16. Here it is used in the sense of the evil of this world, which is contrary to God’s will.

anything: (Meaning) John is not referring here to material objects in the world. He is telling his readers to avoid all attitudes and thoughts which belong to this world rather than to God’s will. He gives examples of what he means in the next verse.

2:15b

If anyone…: (Logical Relationship) This sentence gives one reason for John’s appeal not to love the world. The second reason is given in 2:17. To make the connection clear you may need to translate this as “Because/For if anyone…”

the love of the Father: (“of” Construction) Since this is being contrasted with loving the world, it clearly means “he does not love God.” It does not mean “God does not love him.”

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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.

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 3:19

Paragraph 3:19–20

Read 3:19–20 in both Berean Standard Bible and Good News Translation. Compare the two versions.

Paragraph Theme: If we love one another we will not be ashamed before God when we are praying to him.

3:19a

this: (Pronoun Reference) The word this refers back to what John has said in the previous verse about loving each other truly. To make this clear in translation it may be necessary to restate it here.

we will know: (Tense) As the Berean Standard Bible indicates in English, the tense in the Greek is future, probably because John is saying that we will know that we belong to the truth if we put 3:18 into practice.

3:19b

we belong to the truth: (Meaning) The basic meaning of truth in John’s writings is “everything which is in accordance with God’s character.” This is because God is the real standard of what is true and right. So when John says we belong to the truth, he means that we belong to God and we are living according to his will.

3:19c

in His presence: (Meaning) John is referring to when we are praying or when we think about God and remember that we are in his presence.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 5:11

5:11a–b

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son: (Alternative Interpretations) There are two views about how this sentence relates to the term “testimony”:

(1) This sentence is probably stating how God puts his testimony in our hearts.

(2) Some think that it is stating what the testimony is.

5:11a

this is: (Pronoun Reference) This refers to the rest of the verse.

5:11b

this life is in His Son: (Collocation) This does not just mean that Christ has eternal life. John is saying that we only get eternal life through Christ. God gives it to us by means of uniting us with his Son.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 1:3

1:3a

We proclaim…: (Theme) This verse is the main point of the paragraph 1–4. John repeats what he is telling his readers in order to emphasize his purpose in telling it to them, namely that he and they may be united in fellowship. In order to make this emphasis clear in translation it may be necessary to say

The reason why we are telling you (plur) about this person who we have seen and heard is that we want you to be united with us in trusting him.

what we have seen: (Pronoun Reference) John is still referring to Jesus as the “Word of life” (see the note on 1:1). That is why the form what is used here in English, rather than “who.” In your translation you should make it clear that this whole passage is about Jesus.

1:3b

so that: (Logical Relationship) John is saying that he is telling his readers about Jesus so that they may believe the same things about Jesus as he does and thus they may have fellowship with him and the apostles. These steps in the argument may need to be made clear in translation.

also: (Emphasis) The word translated also occurs twice in the Greek, “we proclaim to you also” and “so that you also may have fellowship with us.” John is emphasizing that both the gospel and fellowship are not only for the apostles but for his readers also.

may have fellowship with us: (Meaning) John means that his readers should continue to have fellowship with him. He is not implying that they need to become Christians so that they will have fellowship. Throughout this letter he repeatedly states that he is confident that they already believe in Jesus.

fellowship: (Special Biblical Term) This term means being united, sharing in something on the basis of mutual agreement, especially in God’s blessings. That is why John uses it here to refer both to our fellowship with one another and to our fellowship with God.

1:3c

this fellowship of ours: (Alternative Interpretations) There are two interpretations of ours here:

(1) It is probably exclusive, meaning “(fellowship) of us apostles.”

(2) Some think it is inclusive, meaning “(fellowship) of you together with us apostles.”

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SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:26

Paragraph 2:26–27

Read 2:26–27 in both Berean Standard Bible and Good News Translation. Compare the two versions.

Paragraph Theme: John finishes this section by repeating his appeal to his readers to live according to the truth which they have been taught and to remain in union with Christ. This is a summary of the section 1:5–2:27.

2:26a

these things: (Pronoun Reference) This refers to what John has written in 2:18–25.

2:26b

about those who: (Meaning) John was not just writing about these people, he was warning his readers against them.

deceive you: (Meaning) Those who had left the church were trying to deceive the Christians with false teachings about the gospel.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 4:8

4:8b

because: (Logical Relationship) This clause (God is love) gives the reason why we know that such a person does not know God. The most important thing about God is his love, so anyone who knows him will certainly show some of his love to others.

God is love: (Meaning) This does not mean that God is the same thing as love, or that God is nothing more than love. John is saying that all of God’s character is summed up by the word “love,” and that the most important thing about him is his love, and everything he does is done out of love for people.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:5

2:5a

His word: (Lexical Problem) This refers to the same thing as “His commandments” in 2:3–4.

2:5b

the love of God: (Alternative Interpretations) The phrase the love of God could be understood in two different ways:

(1) It probably means “that person loves God” (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Living Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English). (John says the same thing in 5:3 in almost the same words.)

(2) However, some think it means “God loves that person” (New International Version (2011 Revision), The Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible).

been truly perfected: (Figure of Speech) John means that such a person loves God completely; his love has the full outcome that it should have.

2:5c

By this: (Logical Connection) The word this is pointing forward to the next verse. John is saying that the thing which shows whether we are “in God” is our behavior or manner of life (2:6 Berean Standard Bible “walk”). In 2:6 he explains why our behavior will show this. It may be necessary in translation to make some of these connections explicit.

in Him: (Collocation) This is John’s way of talking about our personal relationship and union with God. (See John 15:4–7, 17:21, 23). In some languages it sounds like nonsense if one talks about someone being “in” someone else. In such cases the translator needs to find how a very close relationship or association of two things would be referred to. See Good News Translation “in union with God.”

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SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 3:9

3:9a

born of God: (Meaning) As in 2:29b, this means being a child of God. See Good News Translation, New English Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, Living Bible.

practice sin: (Alternative Interpretations) See the note on “keeps on sinning” on 3:6a. The meaning is the same here.

3:9b

God’s seed abides in him: (Alternative Interpretations) There are different interpretations of the topic of this metaphor God’s seed and different interpretations of who him refers to:

(1) It is generally thought to mean that something of God’s nature or God’s life is in God’s children. (Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) It may mean that God’s children remain in God. (Revised Standard Version footnote)

3:9c–d

he cannot…born of God: (Logical Relationship) The second half of the verse (3:9c–d) is restating the same point as the first half (3:9a–b) in slightly stronger words. The link may need to be made clear in translation. See also Good News Translation.

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Source: SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2000

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:15

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 3:19

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 5:11

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 1:3

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:26

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 4:8

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:5

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 3:9

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