The first clause of this verse is the negative counterpart of verse 2b. It refers to the false teachers and contrasts their spirit to that of the true believers. This contrast serves to reinforce the preceding statement.

And is preferably “but,” because it introduces a contrasting statement.

Does not confess Jesus: the name Jesus characterizes its bearer as a person. Therefore “to confess Jesus” means to declare publicly one’s belief in the man Jesus. As such it says virtually the same as “to confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh,” but in a more concise form.

The clause is difficult to render because of its terseness. Many versions give an expanded rendering such as ‘does not openly declare to believe that Jesus has come as a man.’ Others introduce an element that points to verse 2a; for example, “does not thus acknowledge Jesus” (New English Bible) or, with further shifts, “denies this about Jesus” (Good News Translation).

The Greek construction used here has been a problem not only for translators but also for copyists of the original text. This is proved by the variant readings (see Greek New Testament). Some of these have an expanded construction that is comparable to the expanded renderings discussed in the preceding entry. Others, instead of “does not confess,” have a verb form that means either “looses,” “separates” (namely, Jesus from Christ), or “destroys,” “does away with.” This reading is presented by several old Latin manuscripts that serve as witnesses to the text, and by a marginal note in one Greek manuscript dating from the tenth century. It is not to be preferred to the reading found in all older Greek manuscripts.

Not to confess Jesus is a decisive characteristic of the false teachers. Further characteristics are given in the next sentence of this verse, which must be interpreted against the background of 2.18.

Of which you heard that it was coming: this relative clause is often rendered better as a new sentence, with further adjustments where necessary; for example, ‘You have been informed that it would be coming,’ ‘You have heard people say, “It is coming.” ’

In the Greek the relative pronoun is in the neuter gender, which shows that the antecedent is not the antichrist (as in 2.18) but his spirit, which is neuter in the Greek. Several versions, however, render the clause in such a way that it qualifies antichrist. Where this shift is idiomatically preferable, it is acceptable, since the spirit of a person can often stand for that person himself.

You heard; the verb is in the perfect tense, not in the aorist as in 2.7 and other verses. This tense is used here to indicate that what they have heard (or have been told) once is still in their mind.

Was coming: John reminds his readers of a warning that was given in the past before there was any antichrist; hence “would come” (Good News Translation). The next clause emphasizes that at the time John was writing, the spirit of antichrist had already come.

Now it is in the world already: the verb has here the force of “to be present,” “to be acting.” For the world compare comments on 2.15, meaning (2). The word indicates the sphere in which the spirit of antichrist is working.

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 .