1 John 2:4

4 qui dicit se nosse eum et mandata eius non custodit mendax est in hoc veritas non est

1 John 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 John 2:4

He that saith I know him
God or Christ, as the Gnostics did, who pretended to great, even perfect, knowledge of divine things:

and keepeth not his commandments;
which the above persons had no regard to, and as many who profess great light and knowledge in our days show no concern for:

is a liar;
he contradicts what he says, and gives the lie to it; for though in words he professes to know God, in works he denies him, and which betrays his ignorance of him:

and the truth is not in him;
there is no true knowledge of God and Christ in him; nor is the truth of the Gospel in his heart, however it may be in his head; nor is the truth of grace in him, for each of these lead persons to obedience. The Ethiopic version renders it, "the truth of God is not with him"; (See Gill on 1 John 1:8).

1 John 2:4 In-Context

2 et ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris non pro nostris autem tantum sed etiam pro totius mundi

3 et in hoc scimus quoniam cognovimus eum si mandata eius observemus

4 qui dicit se nosse eum et mandata eius non custodit mendax est in hoc veritas non est

5 qui autem servat verbum eius vere in hoc caritas Dei perfecta est in hoc scimus quoniam in ipso sumus

6 qui dicit se in ipso manere debet sicut ille ambulavit et ipse ambulare