OET interlinear 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ὁ λέγων, ὅτι ἔγνωκα αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστίν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

John is describing a hypothetical situation in order to challenge his readers. Alternate translation: [Suppose someone says, “I have a close relationship with God,” but he does not obey what God has commanded. Then that person is a liar]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ὁ λέγων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

By one, John does not have a specific person in mind. He means anyone who says this. Alternate translation: [Anyone who says] or [The person who says]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἔγνωκα αὐτὸν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

As in the second instance in [2:3](../02/03.md), John is using the word know in the sense of knowing someone by personal experience. Alternate translation: [I am living in close relationship with God]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτὸν & αὐτοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

In this verse, the pronouns him and his refer to God, the one who has given the commandments that people must obey. Alternate translation: [God … God’s]

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

καὶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

John is using the word and to introduce a contrast between what such a person might say and what his conduct actually indicates to be true. Alternate translation: [but]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

μὴ τηρῶν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

In this instance, the word keep is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: [does not obey] or [disobeys]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

ψεύστης ἐστίν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν

˓a˒_liar is (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [is certainly not speaking the truth]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

John is speaking of the truth as if it were an object that could be inside someone. See how you translated a similar expression in [1:8](../01/08.md). Alternate translation: [and such a person is not speaking the truth]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καί τάς ἐντολάς αὐτοῦ μή τηρῶν ψεύστης ἐστίν καί ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἐστίν)

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: [and what such a person says is not true]