Chapter
1 2 3 4 5
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 John 1:2
ESV the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us —
NIV The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
NASB and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us—
CSB that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us —
NLT This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.
KJV For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
NKJV the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

What does 1 John 1:2 mean?

This short verse actually consists of six distinct parts related to Jesus.

First, Jesus—"the life"—was revealed to John and to others.

Second, John was not alone in seeing Jesus. The statement here says, "we." There were many eyewitnesses to Christ's miracles and His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–8).

Third, John could attest to these things. Like a witness in a courtroom, John could give testimony of being with Jesus, watching Him perform miracles, watching His death, seeing the empty tomb, and experiencing Christ resurrected.

Fourth, John could announce eternal life, which is Jesus Himself, to everyone. The phrase "eternal life" is often used in John's Gospel, and six times in this letter alone (1 John 2:25; 3:15, 5:11, 13, 20).

Fifth, Jesus was with the Father in heaven prior to coming to earth. Again, John emphasizes Christ's deity prior to coming to earth.

Sixth, that Jesus came to earth in flesh-and-blood form. John ends the verse as it began, describing how Jesus was "made manifest," or shown, and was revealed to us.

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