I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

1 JOHN 2:14KJV
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1 John 2:14 (KJV)

What does 1 John 2:14 mean?

1 John 2:14 addresses two groups among the people receiving the letter. The writer describes the fathers by their knowledge of the one who is from the beginning. He describes the young men as strong because God’s word remains in them and they have overcome the wicked one.

The writer uses family and age-group language to address his readers. Following similar words in verse 13, he repeats his address to the fathers and adds a fuller description of the young men. “The wicked one” refers to an enemy whom the young men have overcome.

The Greek behind 1 John 2:14

  • “known” — γινώσκω (ginōskō): The word can mean knowing someone through acquaintance or experience. Here the wording points to a knowledge that began earlier and continues in the present.
  • “abideth” — μένω (menō): The word means to remain or stay. God’s word is pictured as having a continuing place among the young men, rather than being something they heard only briefly.
  • “overcome” — νικάω (nikaō): The word means to conquer or gain a victory. Here the wording presents the victory as already achieved, with its result still relevant to the readers.

Why 1 John 2:14 matters

  • The young men’s strength is connected with God’s word. The verse places “ye are strong” alongside “the word of God abideth in you.”
  • The repeated address gives special weight to the fathers’ knowledge. Both verse 13 and verse 14 describe them as knowing “him that is from the beginning.”
  • The surrounding passage places these words before a warning about love for the world. The contrast becomes clear as verse 15 turns from describing the readers to telling them what not to love.

Where else these words appear

“men” Greek G3495 · used in 9 verses

  • Matthew 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
  • Mark 14:51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
  • Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

“overcome” Greek G3528 · used in 24 verses

  • Luke 11:22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
  • 1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
  • Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

“strong” Greek G2478 · used in 25 verses

  • Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
  • Luke 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
  • Hebrews 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

“beginning” Greek G746 · used in 56 verses

  • Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
  • John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
  • Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;