Font Size
1 John 1:5-2:12
New International Version
1 John 1:5-2:12
New International Version
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard(A) from him and declare to you: God is light;(B) in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(C) we lie and do not live out the truth.(D) 7 But if we walk in the light,(E) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.(F)
8 If we claim to be without sin,(G) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(H) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(I) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(J) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(K) we make him out to be a liar(L) and his word is not in us.(M)
2 My dear children,(N) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(O) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(P) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(Q)
Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers
3 We know(R) that we have come to know him(S) if we keep his commands.(T) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,”(U) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(V) 5 But if anyone obeys his word,(W) love for God[b] is truly made complete in them.(X) This is how we know(Y) we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(Z)
7 Dear friends,(AA) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(AB) This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command;(AC) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(AD) and the true light(AE) is already shining.(AF)
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[c](AG) is still in the darkness.(AH) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[d] lives in the light,(AI) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(AJ) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(AK) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(AL) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(AM)
Reasons for Writing
Footnotes
- 1 John 1:7 Or every
- 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
- 1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
- 1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
1 John 1:5-2:12
New American Standard Bible
1 John 1:5-2:12
New American Standard Bible
God Is Light
5 (A)This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that (B)God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 (C)If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we (D)lie and (E)do not practice the truth; 7 but if we (F)walk in the Light as (G)He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and (H)the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 (I)If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the (J)truth is not in us. 9 (K)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and (L)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 (M)If we say that we have not sinned, we (N)make Him a liar and (O)His word is not in us.
Christ Is Our Advocate
2 (P)My little children, I am (Q)writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, (R)we have an [a](S)Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is (T)the [b]propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also (U)for the sins of the whole world.
3 (V)By this we know that we have come to (W)know Him, if we (X)keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “(Y)I have come to (Z)know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a (AA)liar, and (AB)the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever (AC)follows His word, in him the (AD)love of God has truly been perfected. (AE)By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says that he (AF)remains in Him (AG)ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.
7 (AH)Beloved, I am (AI)not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had (AJ)from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8 [c]On the other hand, I am writing (AK)a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because (AL)the darkness is passing away and (AM)the true Light is already shining. 9 The one who says that he is in the Light and yet (AN)hates his (AO)brother or sister is in the darkness until now. 10 (AP)The one who loves his brother and sister remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause stumbling. 11 But the one who (AQ)hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and (AR)walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has (AS)blinded his eyes.
12 I am writing to you, (AT)little children, because (AU)your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name.
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:1 Or Intercessor
- 1 John 2:2 I.e., means of reconciliation with God by atoning for sins; or sin-offering
- 1 John 2:8 Lit Again
1 John 1:5-2:12
King James Version
1 John 1:5-2:12
King James Version
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2 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:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
1 John 1:5-2:12
Contemporary English Version
1 John 1:5-2:12
Contemporary English Version
God Is Light
5 Jesus told us God is light and doesn't have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.
6 If we say we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth. 7 (A) But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. 8 If we say we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. 9 But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his message isn't in our hearts.[a]
Christ Helps Us
2 My children, I am writing this so you won't sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. 2 Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world's people.
3 When we obey God, we are sure we know him. 4 But if we claim to know him and don't obey him, we are lying and the truth isn't in our hearts. 5 We truly love God only when we obey him as we should, and then we know we belong to him. 6 If we say we are his, we must follow the example of Christ.
The New Commandment
7 (B) My dear friends, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. It is the same one you were first given, and it is the message you heard. 8 But it really is a new commandment, and you know its true meaning, just as Christ does. You can see the darkness fading away and the true light already shining.
9 If we claim to be in the light and hate someone, we are still in the dark. 10 But if we love others, we are in the light, and we don't cause problems for them.[b] 11 If we hate others, we are living and walking in the dark. We don't know where we are going, because we can't see in the dark.
12 Children, I am writing you,
because your sins
have been forgiven
in the name of Christ.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.