1 John 2:26-27
What is written? (ESV)
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
What does it say?
I [John] am writing to you about those trying to deceive you. Remember that the anointing you recieved from the Father abides in you, and you don't need anyone to teach you. It's His anointing that teaches you all you need to know. It is what is true and not a lie; just as it has taught, abide in Him.
What is its immediate context?
John, in his letter to brethren, makes refrain after refrain for them to continue to “walk in the light”. In the first chapter, he states as, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1:6) He turns in chapter 2 to address false teachers (eg “antichrists”) and encourging them by reminding them that the “anointing” from “the Holy One” (vs 20) gives them “all knowledge” — they “know the truth” (vs 21).
How 1 John 2:26-27 is applied across Bible answers
What ‘all truth’ did the apostles receive (John 16:13)?
The apostle John tells Christians that their "anointing" has taught them "about everything".
The "anointing" here is by "the Holy One" (vs 20) and likely is their anointing/indwelling of the Holy Spirit through baptism. It isn't anything miraculous like the "all truth" the apostles originally received from the Holy Spirit12 since John has already well-qualified that their anointing "about everything" pertains to the gospel message they originally received from John and the others (vss 7, 21, 24).
