1 John 2:17
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
King James Version (KJV)
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John caps his warning against worldly love with a contrast between what is temporary and what endures, urging believers to anchor their lives in obedience to God.
What Does 1 John 2:17 Mean?
John gives a decisive reason not to love the world: it is already passing away, along with all its cravings, while the one who does God's will lasts forever. The world and its desires are temporary by nature -- here now, gone soon, like a tide already going out. To stake your life on what is fading is to lose everything when it disappears. By contrast, "he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." The phrase "doeth the will" stresses active obedience, not mere agreement; it is a life shaped by what God wants. And "abideth for ever" promises permanence -- the doer of God's will shares in something that outlasts the collapse of the world order. This single verse reframes the whole question of what to love. Loving the world means clinging to what is doomed; loving the Father and doing his will means joining what endures. John is not asking believers to give up joy but to invest it wisely, in the one direction that has a future. The choice is between the perishing and the permanent.
In the Original Language
The verb paragetai ("passeth away") pictures something moving on and disappearing, while menei ("abideth") denotes remaining and enduring permanently.
Cross References
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
- Matthew 7:21
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
- Matthew 24:35
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
- Isaiah 40:8
Application
Invest your time and love in what lasts -- doing God's will -- rather than chasing pleasures that are already slipping away.