But, preferably “but as for you” (Good News Translation), represents the Greek construction of a pronoun in initial position (compare verse 24). This construction serves to emphasize the contrast between “you” and “those who would deceive you.”

The anointing which you received from him abides in you: the exegetical decisions taken, and the translational choices made in verse 20, should be reflected in the rendering of the anointing in the present verse. If one has followed interpretation (2b) in verse 20, this will result here in such renderings as ‘you have been and are being anointed by him,’ ‘you have been anointed by him, and you remain so,’ ‘you he has consecrated, and this consecration remains valid’ (Bijbel in Gewone Taal), “the initiation which you received from him stays with you” (New English Bible). Interpretation (1) leads to something like ‘the word (or the Spirit) you received is constantly in your heart.’

In the Greek you received is in the aorist tense, which has the same force here as in “you have heard” in verse 24. In from him, the pronoun has probably the same referent as in verse 25, namely, “Christ,” or “the Son.” For “to abide in” see comments on verse 14.

And introduces a kind of conclusion here; hence ‘therefore,’ etc.

You have no need that any one should teach you, or ‘you do not need any teacher.’ It is often preferable to say ‘you do not need another teacher,’ since “the anointing” itself is also likened to a teacher (verse 27b). The statement presumably implies a rejection of the teaching given by the false teachers.

“To have need” can be rendered here by expressions like ‘to want,’ ‘to lack,’ ‘to have to look for.’ In some languages the concept has to be expressed otherwise; for example (using a rhetorical question), ‘why should other people have to teach you?’ or, in direct discourse, ‘you cannot say, “Let another teach us.” ’

† On the verb teach, compare also “the doctrine,” literally “the teaching” in 2 John 9-10. When trying to find an appropriate rendering of this verb, the translator must often distinguish “between formal and informal teaching and instruction. Formal teaching implies classroom procedures, while informal teaching is largely explanation and demonstration. Some languages may distinguish between teaching as largely verbalization versus teaching as demonstration. Furthermore, differences in verbs for teaching may be based upon the content of what is taught, whether, for example, local cultural traditions or secular knowledge characteristic of western civilization. Some languages distinguish between active and causative forms of teaching.” The former may be expressed by ‘to show,’ ‘to inform,’ ‘to instruct,’ the latter by ‘to cause to know,’ ‘to cause to imitate,’ ‘to give to be learned,’ ‘to speak-hear’ in the sense of ‘to speak that people may hear.’ Some languages use an idiomatic expression such as ‘to engrave upon the mind.’

The Greek connective with which verse 27b starts may have transitional or adversative force. In the former case it serves to strengthen the imperative abide in him. In the latter case it emphasizes the contrast between the true teaching of “the anointing” and the false teaching of John’s opponents. The decision depends on the choice between the two main interpretations of the sentence structure, to be mentioned below. A transitional connective fits interpretation (1), a contrastive connective fits interpretation (2).

According to (1) the first and the fourth clause of verse 27b form the main sentence: “as his anointing teaches you about everything, abide in him.” Then the second clause, “and is true, and is no lie,” acquires the character of a parenthetical statement, inserted to press the point; and the third clause, “just as it has taught you,” repeats the first clause. This repetition serves to take up again the train of thought of the main sentence after the break caused by the parenthetical statement. For a comparable sentence structure see 1.1-3.

Although it is difficult to account for the Greek connective (kai) at the head of the third clause, this is an interpretation of the Greek that is grammatically possible. The sentence structure, however, is rather heavy, especially so because of the parenthetical statement. The rendering given in Revised Standard Version is based on this interpretation, which is also followed by Goodspeed, Bible de Jérusalem, Nieuwe Vertaling, and others.

To avoid the awkwardness of the construction just mentioned, one may have to rearrange the clause sequence. Then one may say, for example, ‘His anointing is true and is no lie, and it teaches you about everything. Just as it (referring to the anointing) has taught you (to do), abide in him’; or, transposing the clauses of the second sentence, ‘His anointing is true and is no lie. Abide in him, just as it has taught you (to do).’

Following interpretation (2), verse 27b is to be divided into two sentences. The main clauses of these are respectively the second and the fourth one; thus: “As his anointing teaches you about everything, so it (now referring to the teaching) is true and no lie. And just as it has taught you: abide in him” or, shifting to coordination, “His anointing teaches you about everything. What it teaches you is true, it is not a lie. Do what it has taught you: abide in him.” According to this interpretation the Greek connective in the beginning of the second clause (kai) indicates the beginning of a main clause. This is somewhat unusual, but it occurs also in 2.18 and John 6.57.

In the opinion of the present authors, interpretation (2) is the slightly more probable one. A solution along the same lines is found in Good News Translation, Zürcher Bibel, and others.

In his anointing teaches you about everything, the possessive pronoun is emphatic by position. It refers to Christ.

The rendering of anointing should, again, parallel the one used in verses 20 and 27a. On the basis of meaning (2b), a possible rendering is ‘he taught you (or you were taught, or you learned) about everything when he anointed (or consecrated/initiated) you.’ On the basis of meaning (1), as mentioned in the note on verse 20, one may say ‘his word/Spirit teaches you’ or ‘the word (or the Holy Spirit) that he has granted you teaches you.’

Teaches is in the present tense, expressing continuity. The teaching is an ongoing process which preserves the believers in the truth, although the false teachers try to lead them astray.

Is true, and is no lie: for true see comments on “which is true” in 1 John 2.8. The reference of lie is to the false teaching of John’s opponents. For comments on the word see verse 21.

Just as it has taught you, or ‘in accordance with what (or doing what) it has taught you.’ The pronoun it refers to “the anointing.” The verb is in the aorist in order to bring out that what they have been taught first is essentially the same as the now ongoing teaching.

Abide in him expresses what the teaching orders them to do. The Greek pronoun may be rendered “in it,” and then refers to “the anointing”; or it may be rendered “in him,” and then refers to Christ. The latter is more probable because of verse 28a. The Greek verb form should be taken as an imperative, not as an indicative. For abide in him (here and verse 28) see comments on 1 John 2.6, definition (a).

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 .