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1 John 2:11

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

KJV

ὁ δὲ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ, καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.

Greek NT

Qui autem odit fratrem suum, in tenebris est, et in tenebris ambulat, et nescit quo eat : quia tenebræ obcæcaverunt oculos ejus.

Vulgate

But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

ASV

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth: because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

17 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
εἴδω
eido
verb · 317×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
μισέω
miseo
verb · 40×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
περιπατέω
peripateo
verb · 94×
πού
pou
adverb · 8×
σκοτία
skotia
noun · 16×
τυφλόω
tuphloo
verb · 3×
ἀδελφός
adelphos
noun · 343×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ὀφθαλμός
ophthalmos
noun · 100×
o
article · 19778×
ὅτι
oti
conjunction · 1299×
ὑπάγω
upago
verb · 81×

Historic Christian voices

4 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Q. Does this commandment refer only to killing? A. By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness. In God's eyes all such are murder.

Cross-references

  • 1John 1:6 — If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
  • 1John 2:9 — He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
  • 1John 2:9 — He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
  • 1John 4:20 — If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
  • 2Cor 3:14 — But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
  • 2Cor 4:4 — In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
  • Eccl 2:14 — The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
  • Eph 4:18 — Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
  • Gen 37:4 — And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
  • John 9:39 — And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
  • John 12:35 — Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
  • John 12:40 — He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
  • Lev 19:17 — Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
  • Matt 6:23 — But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
  • Prov 4:19 — The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
  • Ps 82:5 — They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
  • Rev 3:17 — Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
  • Titus 3:3 — For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.