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1 John 5 - 2 John
New Living Translation

Faith in the Son of God

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross[b]—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses[c]— 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. 9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.

11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

Conclusion

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

16 If you see a fellow believer[d] sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17 All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.

18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God.[e] And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.[f]

Greetings

1 This letter is from John, the elder.[g]

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children,[h] whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— 2 because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.

3 Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

Live in the Truth

4 How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.

5 I am writing to remind you, dear friends,[i] that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

7 I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came[j] in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[k] have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 9 Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

Conclusion

12 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

13 Greetings from the children of your sister,[l] chosen by God.

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Or the Messiah.
  2. 5:6 Greek This is he who came by water and blood.
  3. 5:7 A few very late manuscripts add in heaven—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And we have three witnesses on earth.
  4. 5:16 Greek a brother.
  5. 5:20 Greek the one who is true.
  6. 5:21 Greek keep yourselves from idols.
  7. 1a Greek From the elder.
  8. 1b Or the church God has chosen and its members.
  9. 5 Greek I urge you, lady.
  10. 7 Or will come.
  11. 8 Some manuscripts read you.
  12. 13 Or from the members of your sister church.
Listen to 1 John 5 - 2 John
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1 John 5 - 2 John
New International Version

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes(A) that Jesus is the Christ(B) is born of God,(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.(D) 2 This is how we know(E) that we love the children of God:(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(G) And his commands are not burdensome,(H) 4 for everyone born of God(I) overcomes(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(K)

6 This is the one who came by water and blood(L)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.(M) 7 For there are three(N) that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony,(O) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,(P) which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.(Q) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,(R) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,(S) and this life is in his Son.(T) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.(U)

Concluding Affirmations

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God(V) so that you may know that you have eternal life.(W) 14 This is the confidence(X) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.(Y) 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know(Z) that we have what we asked of him.(AA)

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.(AB) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.(AC) I am not saying that you should pray about that.(AD) 17 All wrongdoing is sin,(AE) and there is sin that does not lead to death.(AF)

18 We know that anyone born of God(AG) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one(AH) cannot harm them.(AI) 19 We know that we are children of God,(AJ) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(AK) 20 We know also that the Son of God has come(AL) and has given us understanding,(AM) so that we may know him who is true.(AN) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.(AO)

21 Dear children,(AP) keep yourselves from idols.(AQ)

1 The elder,(AR)

To the lady chosen by God(AS) and to her children, whom I love in the truth(AT)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth(AU)— 2 because of the truth,(AV) which lives in us(AW) and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,(AX) the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,(AY) just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.(AZ) I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love:(BA) that we walk in obedience to his commands.(BB) As you have heard from the beginning,(BC) his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ(BD) as coming in the flesh,(BE) have gone out into the world.(BF) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.(BG) 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[b] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(BH) 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ(BI) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.(BJ) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.(BK) 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares(BL) in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face,(BM) so that our joy may be complete.(BN)

13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God,(BO) send their greetings.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)
  2. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you
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