I John 2:23 · Bible study
1 John 2:23 Commentary: Denying the Son, Having the Father
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does it mean to 'have the Father'? Why does denying the Son shut the door? A study with textual and pastoral notes.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Denying the Son forfeits any saving relationship with the Father; confessing the Son secures it.
- Key words: arneomai (deny, present participle), homologeō (confess, present participle), echō (have, possess relationally).
- Main debate: Whether the second half of the verse is original; most manuscripts and early citations support it.
- Theological theme: The inseparable bond between Christ and God; Christology defines true knowledge of God.
- Best use: As a clear biblical warrant for the exclusive role of Christ in salvation, and as a pastoral warning against false teaching that separates the Son from the Father.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Whoever denies the Son doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.
KJV King James Version 1769
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
every one who is denying the Son, neither hath he the Father, he who is confessing the Son hath the Father also.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Whoever denies the Son has not the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Cualquiera|strong="G3956, G3588" que niega al Hijo, este tal tampoco tiene al Padre. Cualquiera que confiese al Hijo tiene también al Padre.
Quem nega o Filho também não tem o Pai; aquele que confessa o filho também tem o Pai.
Quiconque nie le Fils n’ a pas non plus le Père; quiconque confesse le Fils a aussi le Père.
Wer den Sohn leugnet, der hat auch den Vater nicht; wer den Sohn bekennt, der hat auch den Vater.
Een iegelijk, die den Zoon loochent, heeft ook den Vader niet.
Chiunque nega il Figliuolo, non ha neppure il Padre; chi confessa il Figliuolo ha anche il Padre.
Każdy, co się zapiera Syna, i Ojca nie ma; a kto wyznaje Syna, ma i Ojca.
Всякий, отвергающий Сына, не имеет и Отца; а исповедующий Сына имеет и Отца.
凡 不認 子的，就沒 有 父；認 子的，連父 也 有了。
He who has no belief in the Son has not the Father: he who makes clear his belief in the Son has the Father.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I John 2:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse states an inseparable relationship between the Son and the Father. Denying the Son, that is, refusing to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, cuts one off from communion with the Father. Calvin calls it “a remarkable sentence, and ought to be reckoned among the first axioms of our religion.” Barnes notes that only through the Son is the Father made known (Matthew 11:27). To “have the Father” means more than holding a correct doctrine; it means personal fellowship and the right to be called a child of God. The second half of the verse (“He who confesses the Son has the Father also”) is genuine, supported by a wide range of manuscripts and early church citations, as Clarke and the Cambridge Bible argue. Wesley summarizes: “Whosoever denieth the eternal Son of God, he hath not communion with the Father; but he that truly and believingly acknowledgeth the Son, hath communion with the Father also.”
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse unequivocally teaches that there is no saving relationship with the Father apart from confessing the Son.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Textual authenticity of the second half | The clause 'he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also' is found in the oldest Greek manuscripts (including Codex Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus) and many early versions and fathers. | Some early printed editions (e.g., Tyndale, Coverdale) omitted it because a few manuscripts lacked it; modern critical editions restore it as genuine. |
| Meaning of 'having the Father' | All commentators agree it means having a living, personal relationship with God as Father, being in communion with him, being his child through Christ. | A few older interpreters (e.g., some medieval glosses) saw it primarily as intellectual knowledge; most patristic and Reformation exegetes emphasize relational fellowship and adoption. |
| Applicability to those who do not confess Christ | Christians agree that this verse teaches there is no saving knowledge of the Father apart from the Son. | Roman Catholic teaching adds that those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ may be saved if they seek God with a sincere heart (CCC 847); Protestant traditions generally hold that explicit faith in Christ is necessary for salvation, with varying views on the fate of the unevangelized. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First John was written to counter early heresies that undermined the identity of Jesus Christ. The congregation John addresses had seen some members leave (v.19), probably those who denied that Jesus is the Christ (v.22). These “antichrists” may have held a proto-docetic or gnostic view that separated the divine Christ from the human Jesus, or they may have been Judaizers who accepted Jesus as a prophet but not as the divine Son. In such a setting, claiming to worship the God of Israel while rejecting Jesus seemed plausible. John’s argument cuts directly against that: you cannot have the Father while denying the Son. This echoes Jesus’ own words in John 8:19, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also,” and John 14:9, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” The Greek verb arneomai (to deny) is used in the present participle, suggesting a settled denial, a persistent refusal to acknowledge Jesus as the Son. The conjunction oude (“neither”) sharpens the point: the denier not only lacks the Son but also lacks even the Father he professes to honor. The positive side uses homologeō (to confess, to say the same thing), indicating open agreement with what God has declared about His Son. This confession is not a private opinion but a public testimony that aligns the believer with the truth from the beginning (v.24).
Textual Notes
The second half of the verse (“He who confesses the Son has the Father also”) was printed in italics in the King James Version, indicating that the translators considered it of doubtful authority. However, as Clarke, Barnes, and the Cambridge Bible argue, it is supported by the best Greek manuscripts (including Codex Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus), by the Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian versions, and by numerous early church fathers such as Origen, Athanasius, and Augustine. A few manuscripts omit it, likely due to homoioteleuton (both halves end with the same three Greek words: ton patera echei). Modern critical editions (e.g., UBS/NA) include it without brackets. The consulted sources note no other significant variants.
Reception History
This verse has been a key text in christological controversies. Early church fathers (e.g., Athanasius, Cyril of Alexandria) used it to argue against Arianism: if the Son is not fully God, then to know him is not to know the Father. Augustine saw it as a warrant for Trinitarian confession. During the Reformation, Calvin appealed to it to argue that Jews and Muslims do not worship the true God, since they reject the Son. The verse appears in Protestant confessions as a basis for the exclusivity of salvation through Christ. In modern ecumenical discussion, it remains a touchstone for the centrality of Christ in any authentic relationship with God. Some traditions have used it pastorally to assure believers that their confession of Christ is the sure ground of their adoption.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Denying the Son closes the door to the Father. The negative is absolute: “everyone who denies the Son” (Greek pas ho arnoumenos) doesn't have the Father. This is not about occasional doubt but a settled rejection of Christ’s identity.
- Confessing the Son opens the door to the Father. The positive counterpart uses the present participle homologōn, one who is in the practice of confessing the Son. Such a person has the Father as well, because to know the Son is to know the Father (John 14:9).
- Our confession is not optional; it defines our relationship with God. This verse grounds the Christian life in a public, ongoing confession of Christ. It is not enough to have a vague belief in God; the test is what we do with Jesus.
Five-point outline
- The heresy: separating the Son from the Father (v.22).
- The consequence of denial: no Father, no standing as a child.
- The consequence of confession: the Father is ours in personal fellowship.
- The textual assurance: the second half is genuine, giving a balanced truth.
- The pastoral call: “Let that therefore remain in you” (v.24), the truth from the beginning.
Illustration hooks
- Imagine someone saying, “I respect the king, but his son is a fraud.” The king would not accept such disrespect. Likewise, to honor the Father requires honoring the Son (John 5:23).
- Think of a locked door with a key. The key is confession of Christ; without it, you cannot enter the Father’s presence. Many try to pick the lock with good works or religion, but only the key fits.
- A child adopted into a family receives not only the father’s name but also the father’s love and inheritance. Rejecting the son of the house means forfeiting the relationship with the father.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What about people who say they believe in God but not in Jesus? Can they be saved?
- Is this verse saying that only Christians have a relationship with God? What about faithful Jews or Muslims?
- Does “deny the Son” mean a one-time mistake, or a persistent refusal? How do I know if my faith is genuine confession?
Leading a Discussion
This verse cuts to the heart of Christian identity: our relationship with the Father depends on our relationship with the Son. As you read 1 John 2:23 in its context, consider what John is teaching about the difference between true believers and those who have left the faith.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 22, 23 together. What does it mean to “deny the Son”? What forms might that denial take in our world today?
- The Greek word for “confess” (homologeō) means “to say the same thing.” What does that imply about what we are saying when we confess Christ?
- How does the second half of verse 23 (the positive statement) clarify and strengthen the first half? Why do you think some early manuscripts omitted it?
- Look at John 14:9 and John 8:19. How do Jesus’ own words support what John writes here?
- John says those who deny the Son “do not have the Father.” In what sense do they not “have” him? Is this about intellectual knowledge, personal relationship, or something else?
- How does this verse challenge the idea that all religions lead to the same God?
- How can we as a group encourage one another to hold fast to the confession of Christ, especially when pressured to be more “inclusive” about faith? How does verse 24 (“let that remain in you”) guide us?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 11:27 | All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him. |
| Luke 10:22 | Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.” |
| John 5:23 | that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him. |
| John 8:19 | They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” |
| John 10:30 | I and the Father are one.” |
| John 14:9 | Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? |
| John 14:10 | Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works. |
| John 15:23 | He who hates me, hates my Father also. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists that the disputed clause about acknowledging the Son is genuine and should be restored to the text. He supports this with extensive manuscript evidence, early versions, and quotations from church fathers, arguing it never should have been marked as doubtful.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes defends the italicized clause "he that acknowledges the Son hath the Father also" as likely genuine based on strong manuscript evidence. He insists this is a vital truth: denying the Son proves one has no true knowledge of the Father, while confessing the Son brings full acquaintance with God.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin treats this as a foundational principle: the true God is only known through Christ, who reveals the Father to us. Seeking God apart from Christ leads to idolatry, because God's majesty is too dazzling for us to approach directly. This is why Calvin insists that Turks and Jews, who reject Christ, do not worship the true God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Denying the Son carries three consequences: it denies the Son, it denies the Father, and it cuts one off from the Father. To "have the Father" means literally to possess Him as one's own Father, not merely to believe He exists or to know His will.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Whosoeuer denyeth the Sonne, the same hath not the Father.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists the relationship between Father and Son is so inseparable that denying Christ’s true, eternal sonship necessarily denies the Father’s true fatherhood. One cannot honor the Father while dishonoring the Son, because both titles stand or fall together as genuine, not merely figurative.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the Greek text reads "everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either." The words "he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also" are not an insertion but appear in the oldest manuscripts. Having the Father means abiding personal possession through open confession of Christ.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that John's phrase "the last hour" describes the entire transition period between Christ's first and second coming, not a short countdown. For him, the many antichrists are precursors who prove the one final antichrist will come, but their appearance shows the age is already defined by its end.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights that true Christians receive a heavenly anointing from the Holy One, the Spirit of grace, that sets them apart as anointed ones sharing in Christ's offices as prophets, priests, and kings. This unction gives them spiritual knowledge and stability to stand firm against seducers.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek phrase is stronger than it first appears: it means "hath not even the Father." Someone may claim to honor the Father while rejecting the Son, but this severs them from the Father as well.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp line: denying the eternal Son cuts a person off from communion with the Father. But those who truly and believingly acknowledge the Son receive communion with the Father as well. The two are inseparable.