The Text:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (KJV)
1Jn 2:2 And He is Himself the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and not for ours alone, but also for the whole world. (Williams NT)
1Jn 2:2 and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world. (NET Bible)
1Jn 2:2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (WEB, World English Bible)
1Jn 2:2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world besides. (TCNT, Twentieth Century NT)
1Jn 2:2 He is the offering for our sins; and not for ours only, but for all the world. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)
1 John 2:2 And He, Himself, is Atonement concerning our sins; but not concerning ours only, but also concerning the world as a whole. (LNT, Lavender New Testament)
My Comment:
I have been studying the doctrine of the Atonement of Christ for many years. I am still studying this most important doctrine.
Penal substitution atonement is not biblically accurate and is not the teaching of the Bible.
I have discussed this subject thoroughly on my Real Bible Study website. Use the search feature and enter the term “atonement” to see some of what I have written there.
As far as I understand the subject as of now, I believe the Bible teaches the priestly-sacrificial Atonement of Christ. He is both the priest and the offering as emphatically stated in 1 John 2:1-2.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (KJV)
1Jn 2:2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (WEB, World English Bible)
Translations which employ the term “propitiation” are mistaken. Like Loew and Nida remark in their lexicon (40.12), God is already on our side and does not require propitiation.
There is an apparent contradiction between what is written in Romans 2:13 compared to what is stated in Romans 3:20.
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (KJV)
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The apparent contradiction is resolved when we take into account what was true under the Law in contrast to what is true under Christ.
I did not come up with these insights on my own. I learned much from my scholar friend, Dr. Malcolm Lavender, who solicited my help in editing his writings on the subject and preparing his Lavender’s New Testament.
I have placed many of Dr. Lavender’s notes by permission in my digital Bible study resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, which is an expanded version of my book, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.