OET interlinear 1YHN (1JHN) 2:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν

not ˱I˲_wrote ˱to˲_you_all because not ˱you_all˲_/have/_known the truth but because ˱you_all˲_/have/_known it

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this double negative by translating it as a positive statement. Since John then repeats the statement in positive form in the next phrase, you could make the connection to that phrase as an affirmation rather than as a contrast. Alternate translation: “I have written to you because you know the truth, yes, because you do know it”

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν

not ˱I˲_wrote ˱to˲_you_all because not ˱you_all˲_/have/_known the truth but because ˱you_all˲_/have/_known it

If saying I have not written to you seems wrong or confusing in your language, you could move the negative to the next clause. Alternate translation: “I have written to you not because you do not know the truth, but because you do know the truth” or “I have written to you not to inform you of the truth, but I have written to you because you already know it”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν ἀλήθειαν & ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας

the truth & of the truth

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun truth with an adjective such as “true.” Alternate translation: “what is true … from what is true”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὴν ἀλήθειαν & ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας

the truth & of the truth

John is likely referring to the teaching that believers have received from Jesus by association with the way that it is true. Alternate translation: “the true teaching that we received from Jesus … from this true teaching”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν

and because any falsehood of the truth not is

John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: “and you know that every lie is not from the truth”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν

any falsehood of the truth not is

If it would be clearer in your language, you could make the subject of this phrase negative and the verb positive. Alternate translation: “no lie is from the truth”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας

of the truth

This second occurrence of the truth could refer to: (1) The same as the first occurrence. Alternate translation: “part of God’s true message” (2) God, who is the source of all truth. Alternate translation: “from God, the One who is true”