The Incarnation of the Word of Life

That which was from the beginning,(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared;(D) we have seen it and testify to it,(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.(H) We write this(I) to make our[a] joy complete.(J)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

This is the message we have heard(K) from him and declare to you: God is light;(L) in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(M) we lie and do not live out the truth.(N) But if we walk in the light,(O) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.(P)

If we claim to be without sin,(Q) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(R) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(S) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(T) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(U) we make him out to be a liar(V) and his word is not in us.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
  2. 1 John 1:7 Or every

On Denying the Incarnation

Dear friends,(A) do not believe every spirit,(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(C) This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(D) is from God,(E) but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(G)

You, dear children,(H) are from God and have overcome them,(I) because the one who is in you(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.(K) They are from the world(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth(N) and the spirit of falsehood.(O)

God’s Love and Ours

Dear friends, let us love one another,(P) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(Q) and knows God.(R) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(S) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(T) into the world that we might live through him.(U) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(V) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(W) 11 Dear friends,(X) since God so loved us,(Y) we also ought to love one another.(Z) 12 No one has ever seen God;(AA) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(AB)

13 This is how we know(AC) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(AD) 14 And we have seen and testify(AE) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(AF) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(AG) God lives in them and they in God.(AH) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.(AI) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(AJ) 17 This is how love is made complete(AK) among us so that we will have confidence(AL) on the day of judgment:(AM) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(AN) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.(AO) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(AP) is a liar.(AQ) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(AR) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(AS) 21 And he has given us this command:(AT) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 4:6 Or spirit

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