1 John 2:3
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →We can be assured that we truly know God when we keep His commandments.
What Does 1 John 2:3 Mean?
John offers a test for assurance: hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Knowing God is not merely a feeling or a claim but shows itself in obedience.
To know God in the biblical sense is to be in living relationship with Him, and that relationship bears fruit. Where there is genuine knowledge of God, there grows a desire to do His will. Obedience does not earn the relationship, but it confirms it. John gives this not to burden us but to give us solid ground for confidence: a changed life testifies that we truly know the One we profess.
In the Original Language
ginosko (γινώσκω), 'to know' -- relational, experiential knowing, not mere information about God.