1 John 2:22 kjv
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:22 nkjv
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:22 niv
Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist?denying the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:22 esv
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:22 nlt
And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.
1 John 2 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jn 2:18 | Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming... | Antichrist coming and present |
| 1 Jn 4:2-3 | Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God... | Spirit of Christ vs. Antichrist |
| 2 Jn 1:7 | For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh... | Denial of Christ's incarnation by deceivers |
| Mt 10:33 | But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father in heaven. | Denial of Christ and consequence |
| Lk 12:9 | But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. | Denial leading to denial by God |
| 2 Tim 2:12 | If we deny Him, He also will deny us. | Denial leads to God's denial |
| Tit 1:16 | They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable... | Denying God by works/profession |
| Jn 1:1 | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. | Jesus as eternal God (the Son) |
| Jn 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... | Incarnation of the Son |
| Jn 1:18 | No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father... | Son reveals the Father |
| Jn 5:23 | that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father... | Equal honor to Father and Son |
| Jn 8:44 | ...He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. | Satan, father of lies, stands opposed |
| Jn 10:30 | I and My Father are one. | Unity of Father and Son |
| Jn 14:6 | Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." | Access to Father through the Son only |
| Jn 14:9 | ...He who has seen Me has seen the Father... | Seeing Son is seeing the Father |
| Heb 1:1-3 | God, who at various times... spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son... | Son's preeminence and revelation of God |
| Acts 2:36 | "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." | Jesus proclaimed as Lord and Christ |
| Acts 4:11-12 | "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders... Nor is there salvation in any other... | Salvation through Jesus Christ alone |
| 1 Jn 1:6 | If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie... | Living a lie, walking in darkness |
| 1 Jn 5:1 | Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God... | Belief in Jesus as Christ for new birth |
| 1 Jn 5:10 | He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar... | Not believing Son makes God a liar |
| Jude 1:4 | ...ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. | Denial of Christ by ungodly men |
1 John 2 verses
1 John 2 22 Meaning
1 John 2:22 precisely identifies the "liar" as anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ, subsequently labeling such an individual or spirit as "antichrist" for their rejection of both the Father and the Son. This verse exposes the grave theological error and spiritual source behind the denial of Jesus' divine messianic identity and essential relationship within the Godhead.
1 John 2 22 Context
First John chapter 2 focuses on believers living in obedience and love as a true indicator of their fellowship with God. It contrasts genuine spiritual life with claims of knowing God while living in sin or error. The chapter warns against "the world" and "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," affirming that these are temporary, unlike the will of God. This leads directly to a warning about the coming of "antichrist," noting that many "antichrists" have already appeared, indicating a spirit of opposition to Christ active in the world. Verse 22 then sharply defines the essence of this "antichrist" spirit: the specific denial of Jesus as the Christ, and consequently, the Father and the Son. This denial threatened the foundational truths of the early church, distinguishing true believers from false teachers who sought to lead them astray.
1 John 2 22 Word analysis
- Who is the liar: The Greek word is pseustēs (ψεύστης), meaning one who tells falsehoods, a deceiver. John emphatically states that denying Jesus' true identity constitutes the gravest form of lying because it is a direct contradiction of divine truth. This aligns with a biblical understanding where truth is associated with God and His revelation, while lies originate from opposition to God (Jn 8:44).
- but he who denies: The Greek word is arnoumenos (ἀρνούμενος), which means "to refuse, reject, repudiate, or disown." This is not mere ignorance or lack of understanding, but an active, deliberate renunciation of a central truth concerning Jesus. It implies turning away from something known or affirmed.
- that Jesus is the Christ: Iēsous ho Christos (Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός). "Jesus" (Ἰησοῦς) refers to His human name. "The Christ" (ὁ Χριστός) means "the Anointed One," the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah." This phrase emphasizes His divine office and identity as the prophesied deliverer and Son of God, not merely a prophet or human teacher. Denying "Jesus IS the Christ" indicates a rejection of His unique union of humanity and deity, which was central to the Gnostic/Docetic heresies appearing in John's time (who separated Jesus, the man, from Christ, the divine emanation).
- He is antichrist: The Greek word is antichristos (ἀντίχριστος). This term in John's epistles means either "against Christ" or "in place of Christ." In this context, it primarily signifies one who opposes Christ's person and work. John sees this spirit manifesting in many individuals (plural "antichrists" in v.18), distinguishing it from the singular Antichrist of later eschatological texts. This spirit opposes fundamental Christian teaching about who Jesus is.
- who denies the Father and the Son: arnoumenos ton Patera kai ton Huion (ἀρνούμενος τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱόν). This statement underscores the indissoluble relationship within the Godhead. To deny the Son, Jesus' true identity as the Christ, is simultaneously to deny the Father. This is because the Father is revealed through the Son (Jn 1:18, 14:9), and to reject the Son's nature and relationship with the Father is to reject the very nature and revelation of God Himself. One cannot claim to know or believe in the Father while denying the Son, as their salvific work and essence are intrinsically linked. This refutes any attempt to claim belief in God while rejecting Jesus as His divine Son.
1 John 2 22 Bonus section
- Polemics against Heresy: This verse is a direct polemic against certain early Gnostic or Docetic teachings which asserted that Jesus was merely a human vehicle for the "Christ spirit," or that the divine "Christ" only seemed to be human (Docetism). By affirming that "Jesus IS the Christ," John stresses the inseparable union of divinity and humanity in one person, essential for His atoning work. If Jesus were not truly the Christ come in the flesh, His death would have no saving efficacy.
- The Spirit of Antichrist is Present: John speaks of "many antichrists" (1 Jn 2:18), indicating that the spirit which opposes Christ and distorts His true identity is actively present in the world and manifest in individuals and false teachings before the ultimate singular Antichrist arrives.
- Foundation of Christian Belief: The confession that "Jesus is the Christ" (1 Jn 5:1) is the absolute foundation for being born of God and overcoming the world. Denial of this truth attacks the very core of the Gospel message and assurance of salvation.
- Truth and God's Nature: For John, truth is intrinsically linked to God. A lie, especially concerning God's revelation of Himself in Jesus, is inherently of darkness and from the "father of lies" (Jn 8:44). Thus, the one who denies this truth aligns themselves with the kingdom of falsehood.
1 John 2 22 Commentary
1 John 2:22 provides a precise theological identifier for spiritual deception. It clearly states that the essence of a liar, operating under the "antichrist" spirit, is the specific denial that Jesus is the Christ. This denial directly impacts the entire Christian revelation because the identity of Jesus as the promised Messiah (Christ) is foundational to salvation. John clarifies that this rejection of Jesus' messianic and divine identity necessarily entails a denial of God the Father, because the Father has revealed Himself definitively through the Son, and their relationship is integral to the triune nature of God. Therefore, true knowledge of the Father is impossible without affirming the Son. This verse directly refutes nascent Docetic (or proto-Gnostic) teachings, which might have affirmed "Jesus" but separated Him from the divine "Christ" or denied His true humanity, thereby undermining the reality of the Incarnation and atonement. Believers are called to discern and reject such lies, affirming the indivisible truth of Jesus as the fully human, fully divine Christ, and in Him, the Father.