1 John 2:7

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

My dearly loved ones, I am not writing to you about a new commandment, but about an old one. [It is the one] you had learned about from the beginning. [Note: This is the commandment to love one another (3:1; II John 5) which Jesus had taught his disciples during His earthly ministry. See Mark 12:31]. This old commandment is the word [of God] which you heard [previously].

Cross References

1 John 3:11

[Now] this is the message that you people heard from the beginning [of Christ’s ministry], that we should love one another [See Mark 12:31],

1 John 3:23

And this is His commandment: We should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ [i.e., the person of Christ], and love one another, just as He has commanded us to do.

1 John 2:24

You people should continue [to practice] what you heard from the beginning [i.e., to love one another, See verses 7- 11]. If you do, then you also will continue in [fellowship with] the Son, and with the Father.

Matthew 5:43

“You have heard what was said [Lev. 19:18], ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

Acts 17:19

So, they led him to the Areopagus [i.e., an elevated assembly place called “the Hill of Mars”] and asked him, “Could we learn [more] about this new teaching you are speaking of?

John 13:34

I am giving you a new commandment: love one another. Also you should love one another in the same way that I have loved you.

Hebrews 6:9

But, my dearly loved ones, even though we talk this way, we are persuaded that you will do better than that [i.e., you will not fall away from God], and will end up being saved.

1 John 3:2

Dearly loved ones, we are God’s children now, but it has not yet been revealed [to us] what we will be [in the future life, Luke 20:34-36]. But, we do know this, however, that when Jesus is revealed [i.e., at His second coming], we will be like Him [I Cor. 15:49], for we will see what He really looks like!

1 John 3:21

Loved ones, if our hearts do not condemn us [i.e., because we are showing love by helping the needy], we can have boldness before God [in prayer for our own needs];

1 John 4:1

Loved ones, do not believe [the message of] every spirit [i.e., every person claiming to be a teacher], but test the spirits [i.e., require proof that they and their message are genuine] to see whether they represent God [or not], because many false prophets have begun circulating throughout the world.

1 John 4:7

Loved ones, we should have love for one another, because love comes from [the very nature of] God, and every person who [continually] loves [others] has been [spiritually] conceived by God [See 2:29; 3:9], and knows [he is in fellowship with] God.

1 John 4:11

Loved ones, if God loved us that much, we should also love one another.

1 John 4:21

And this is the [greatest] commandment [See Matt. 2:37-38] we have received from Him: [It requires] that the person who [claims to] love God should also love his brother.