As Newborn Babes

2 Therefore, ^(A)rid yourselves of all ^[a]malice and all deceit and ^[b]hypocrisy and ^[c]envy and all ^[d](B)slander, ^2 (C)and like newborn babies, long for the ^[e](D)pure ^[f]milk of the word, so that by it you may ^(E)grow ^[g]in respect to salvation, ³ if you have ^(F)tasted ^[h](G)the kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

⁴ And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^(H)rejected by people, but is ^[i]choice and precious in the sight of God, ^5 (I)you also, as living stones, ^[j]are being built up as a ^(J)spiritual house for a holy ^(K)priesthood, to ^(L)offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For this is contained in ^[k]Scripture:

^7 (O)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

⁸ and,

^(S)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(T)and to this they were also appointed.

⁹ But you are ^(U)a chosen people, a royal ^(V)priesthood, a ^(W)holy nation, ^(X)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(Y)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ^10 (Z)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

^11 (AA)Beloved, ^(AB)I urge you as ^(AC)foreigners and strangers to abstain from ^(AD)fleshly lusts, which wage ^(AE)war against the soul. ^12 (AF)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(AG)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[o]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(AH)glorify God ^(AI)on the day of ^[p]visitation.

Honor Authority

^13 (AJ)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent ^[q]by him ^(AK)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(AL)praise of those who do right. ¹⁵ For ^[r](AM)such is the will of God, that by doing right you ^(AN)silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Act as ^(AO)free people, and ^[s]do not use your freedom as a ^[t]covering for evil, but use it as ^(AP)bond-servants of God. ^17 (AQ)Honor all people, ^(AR)love the brotherhood, ^(AS)fear God, ^(AT)honor the ^[u]king.

^18 (AU)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(AV)gentle, but also to those who are ^[v]harsh. ¹⁹ For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^(AW)conscience toward God a person endures ^[w]grief when suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^(AX)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹ For ^(AY)you have been called for this purpose, ^(AZ)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(BA)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²² He who ^(BB)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ^23 [x]and while being ^(BC)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself ^[y](BD)brought our sins in His body up on the ^[z](BE)cross, so that we ^(BF)might die to ^[aa]sin and live for righteousness; ^(BG)by His ^[ab]wounds you were ^(BH)healed. ²⁵ For you were ^(BI)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(BJ)Shepherd and ^[ac]Guardian of your souls.

Godly Living

3 ^(BK)In the same way, you wives, ^(BL)be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(BM)won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, ² as they observe your pure ^[ad]and respectful behavior. ^3 (BN)Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; ⁴ but it should be ^(BO)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this way the holy women of former times, ^(BP)who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(BQ)calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right ^[ae](BR)without being frightened by any fear.

^7 (BS)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^[af](BT)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

^8 [ag]To sum up, ^(BU)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^[ah](BV)loving, ^(BW)compassionate, and ^(BX)humble; ^9 (BY)not returning evil for evil or ^(BZ)insult for insult, but giving a ^(CA)blessing instead; for ^(CB)you were called for the very purpose that you would ^(CC)inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

^13 (CG)And who is ^[ai]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should ^(CH)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(CI)you ^[aj]are blessed. ^(CJ)And do not fear their ^[ak]intimidation, and do not be in dread, ¹⁵ but ^[al]sanctify ^(CK)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(CL)to make a ^[am]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(CM)hope that is in you, but ^(CN)with gentleness and ^(CO)respect; ^16 [an]and keep a ^(CP)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(CQ)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷ For ^(CR)it is better, ^(CS)if ^[ao]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. ¹⁸ For ^(CT)Christ also ^[ap]suffered for sins ^(CU)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^(CV)bring us to God, having been put to death ^(CW)in the flesh, but made alive ^(CX)in the ^[aq]spirit; ¹⁹ in ^[ar]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who once were disobedient when the ^(CY)patience of God ^(CZ)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(DA)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(DB)eight ^(DC)persons, were brought safely through the water. ^21 (DD)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^(DE)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God ^[as]for a ^(DF)good conscience—through ^(DG)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ^22 (DH)who is at the right hand of God, ^(DI)having gone into heaven, ^(DJ)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Keep Fervent in Your Love

4 Therefore, since ^(DK)Christ has ^[at]suffered in the flesh, ^(DL)arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because ^(DM)the one who has ^[au]suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ^2 (DN)so as to live ^(DO)the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the ^(DP)will of God. ³ For ^(DQ)the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, ^[av](DR)having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. ⁴ In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of ^(DS)[aw]debauchery, and they ^(DT)slander you; ⁵ but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge ^(DU)the living and the dead. ⁶ For ^(DV)the gospel has for this purpose been ^[ax]preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

^7 (DW)The end of all things ^[ay]is near; therefore, ^(DX)be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of ^[az]prayer. ⁸ Above all, ^(DY)keep fervent in your love for one another, because ^(DZ)love covers a multitude of sins. ^9 (EA)Be hospitable to one another without ^(EB)complaint. ^10 (EC)As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good ^(ED)stewards of the ^[ba]multifaceted grace of God. ^11 (EE)Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking ^(EF)actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving ^[bb](EG)by the strength which God supplies; so that ^(EH)in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ^(EI)to whom belongs the glory and ^[bc]dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Share the Sufferings of Christ

^12 (EJ)Beloved, do not be surprised at the ^(EK)fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; ¹³ but to the degree that you ^(EL)share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the ^(EM)revelation of His glory ^(EN)you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted ^[bd](EO)for the name of Christ, ^(EP)you are blessed, ^(EQ)because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. ¹⁵ Make sure that ^(ER)none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a ^[be](ES)troublesome meddler; ¹⁶ but if anyone suffers as a ^(ET)Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to ^(EU)glorify God in this name. ¹⁷ For it is time for judgment ^(EV)to begin ^[bf]with ^(EW)the household of God; and if it ^(EX)begins ^[bg]with us first, what will be the outcome for those ^(EY)who do not obey the ^(EZ)gospel of God? ^18 (FA)And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, ^[bh]what will become of the ^(FB)godless man and the sinner? ¹⁹ Therefore, those also who suffer according to ^(FC)the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Serve God Willingly

5 ^(FD)Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your ^(FE)fellow elder and a ^(FF)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a ^[bi](FG)fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: ² shepherd ^(FH)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, ^(FI)not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and ^(FJ)not ^[bj]with greed but with eagerness; ³ nor yet as ^(FK)domineering over ^[bk]those assigned to your care, but by ^[bl]proving to be ^[bm](FL)examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief ^(FM)Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(FN)unfading ^[bn](FO)crown of glory. ^5 (FP)You ^[bo]younger men, likewise, ^(FQ)be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with ^(FR)humility toward one another, because ^(FS)God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

⁶ Therefore ^(FT)humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷ having cast all your ^(FU)anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. ^8 (FV)Be of sober spirit, ^(FW)be on the alert. Your adversary, ^(FX)the devil, prowls around like a roaring ^(FY)lion, seeking someone to devour. ^9 [bp](FZ)So resist him, ^(GA)firm in your faith, knowing that ^(GB)the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your ^[bq]brothers and sisters who are in the world. ¹⁰ After you have suffered ^(GC)for a little while, the ^(GD)God of all grace, who ^(GE)called you to His ^(GF)eternal glory in Christ, will Himself ^(GG)perfect, ^(GH)confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ^11 (GI)To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹² Through ^(GJ)Silvanus, our faithful brother ^[br](for so I regard him), ^(GK)I have written to you briefly, ^[bs]exhorting and testifying that this is ^(GL)the true grace of God. ^(GM)Stand firm in it! ¹³ She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, ^(GN)Mark. ^14 (GO)Greet one another with a kiss of love.

^(GP)Peace be to you all who are in Christ.

Growth in Christian Virtue

1 ^[a]Simon Peter, a ^(A)bond-servant and ^(B)apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received ^(C)a faith of the same ^[b]kind as ours, ^[c]by ^(D)the righteousness of ^(E)our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: ^2 (F)Grace and peace be multiplied to you in ^(G)the knowledge of God and of Jesus ^[d]our Lord, ³ for His ^(H)divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true ^(I)knowledge of Him who ^(J)called us ^[e]by His own glory and ^[f]excellence. ⁴ Through ^[g]these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent ^(K)promises, so that by them you may become ^(L)partakers of the divine nature, having ^(M)escaped the ^(N)corruption that is in ^(O)the world on account of lust. ⁵ Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith ^(P)supply ^(Q)moral ^[h]excellence, and in your moral excellence, ^(R)knowledge, ⁶ and in your knowledge, ^(S)self-control, and in your self-control, ^(T)perseverance, and in your perseverance, ^(U)godliness, ⁷ and in your godliness, ^(V)brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor ^(W)unproductive in the true ^(X)knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For the one who lacks these qualities is ^(Y)blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his ^(Z)purification from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His ^(AA)calling and ^(AB)choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never ^(AC)stumble; ¹¹ for in this way the entrance into ^(AD)the eternal kingdom of our ^(AE)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be ^(AF)abundantly ^(AG)supplied to you.

¹² Therefore, ^(AH)I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in ^(AI)the truth which is present with you. ¹³ I consider it ^(AJ)right, as long as I am in ^(AK)this earthly ^[i]dwelling, to ^(AL)stir you up by way of reminder, ¹⁴ knowing that ^(AM)the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, ^(AN)as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will also be diligent that at any time after my ^(AO)departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Eyewitnesses

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised ^(AP)tales when we made known to you the ^(AQ)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were ^(AR)eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷ For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a ^(AS)[j]declaration as this was made to Him by the ^(AT)Majestic Glory: “This is ^[k]My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— ¹⁸ and we ourselves heard this ^[l]declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the ^(AU)holy mountain.

¹⁹ And so we have ^(AV)the prophetic word made more ^(AW)sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to ^(AX)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the ^(AY)day dawns and the ^(AZ)morning star arises ^(BA)in your hearts. ²⁰ But ^(BB)know this first of all, that ^(BC)no prophecy of Scripture ^[m]becomes a matter of ^[n]someone’s own interpretation, ²¹ for ^(BD)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men ^(BE)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The Appearance of False Prophets

2 But ^(BF)false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be ^(BG)false teachers ^(BH)among you, who will ^(BI)secretly introduce ^(BJ)destructive heresies, even ^(BK)denying the ^(BL)Master who ^(BM)bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ² Many will follow their ^(BN)indecent behavior, and because of them ^(BO)the way of the truth will be ^(BP)maligned; ³ and in their ^(BQ)greed they will ^(BR)exploit you with ^(BS)false words; ^(BT)their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For ^(BU)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into ^[o]hell and ^(BV)committed them to ^[p]pits of darkness, held for judgment; ⁵ and did not spare ^(BW)the ancient world, but protected ^(BX)Noah, a ^[q]preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a ^(BY)flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ and if He ^(BZ)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an ^(CA)example ^[r]of what is coming for the ^(CB)ungodly; ⁷ and if He ^(CC)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the ^(CD)perverted conduct of ^[s](CE)unscrupulous people ⁸ (for by what he saw and heard that ^(CF)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), ^9 (CG)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from ^[t]a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the ^(CH)day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially those who ^[u](CI)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and ^(CJ)despise ^[v]authority.

^[w]Reckless, ^(CK)self-centered, they ^(CL)speak abusively of angelic ^[x]majesties without trembling, ^11 (CM)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord. ¹² But ^(CN)these, like unreasoning animals, ^(CO)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in ^[y]the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, ¹³ suffering wrong as ^(CP)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to ^(CQ)revel in the ^(CR)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, ^(CS)reveling in their ^[z]deceptions as they ^(CT)feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery ^[aa]that never cease from sin, ^(CU)enticing ^(CV)unstable souls, having hearts trained in ^(CW)greed, ^(CX)accursed children; ¹⁵ abandoning ^(CY)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed ^(CZ)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(DA)the ^[ab]reward of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he received a rebuke for his own offense, ^(DB)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are ^(DC)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, ^(DD)for whom the ^[ac]black darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, while speaking out ^(DE)arrogant words of no ^(DF)value they ^(DG)entice by fleshly desires, by ^(DH)indecent behavior, those who barely ^(DI)escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹ promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ^(DJ)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, after they have ^(DK)escaped the defilements of the world by ^(DL)the knowledge of the ^(DM)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again ^(DN)entangled in them and are overcome, ^(DO)the last state has become worse for them than the first. ^21 (DP)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from ^(DQ)the holy commandment ^(DR)handed on to them. ^22 [ad]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “^(DS)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Purpose of This Letter

3 ^(DT)Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am ^(DU)stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, ² to ^(DV)remember the words spoken beforehand by ^(DW)the holy prophets and ^(DX)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

^3 (DY)Know this first of all, that ^(DZ)in the last days ^(EA)mockers will come with their mocking, ^(EB)following after their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “^(EC)Where is the promise of His ^(ED)coming? For ever since the fathers ^[ae](EE)fell asleep, all things continue just as they were ^(EF)from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For ^[af]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that ^(EG)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was ^(EH)formed out of water and by water, ⁶ through which ^(EI)the world at that time was ^(EJ)destroyed by being flooded with water. ⁷ But by His word ^(EK)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for ^(EL)fire, kept for ^(EM)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, ^(EN)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and ^(EO)a thousand years like one day. ^9 (EP)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but ^(EQ)is patient toward you, ^(ER)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

¹⁰ But ^(ES)the day of the Lord ^(ET)will come like a thief, in which ^(EU)the heavens ^(EV)will pass away with a roar and the ^(EW)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and ^(EX)the earth and ^[ag]its works will be ^[ah]discovered.

¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ^12 (EY)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which ^(EZ)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the ^(FA)elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ But according to His ^(FB)promise we are looking for ^(FC)new heavens and a new earth, ^(FD)in which righteousness dwells.

^14 (FE)Therefore, ^(FF)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be ^(FG)found ^(FH)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, ¹⁵ and regard the ^(FI)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also ^(FJ)our beloved brother Paul, ^(FK)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of ^(FL)these things, ^(FM)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and ^(FN)unstable distort, as they do also ^(FO)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You therefore, ^(FP)beloved, knowing this beforehand, ^(FQ)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by ^(FR)the error of ^[ai](FS)unscrupulous people and ^(FT)lose your own ^[aj]firm commitment, ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and ^(FU)knowledge of our ^(FV)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ^(FW)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The Incarnate Word

1 What was ^(A)from the beginning, what we have ^(B)heard, what we have ^(C)seen with our eyes, what we ^(D)have looked at and ^(E)touched with our hands, concerning the ^(F)Word of Life— ² and ^(G)the life was revealed, and we have ^(H)seen and ^(I)testify and proclaim to you ^(J)the eternal life, which was ^(K)with the Father and was ^(L)revealed to us— ³ what we have ^(M)seen and ^(N)heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our ^(O)fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ^4 (P)These things we write, so that our ^(Q)joy may be made complete.

God Is Light

^5 (R)This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that ^(S)God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ^6 (T)If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we ^(U)lie and ^(V)do not practice the truth; ⁷ but if we ^(W)walk in the Light as ^(X)He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and ^(Y)the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ^8 (Z)If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the ^(AA)truth is not in us. ^9 (AB)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and ^(AC)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ^10 (AD)If we say that we have not sinned, we ^(AE)make Him a liar and ^(AF)His word is not in us.

Christ Is Our Advocate

2 ^(AG)My little children, I am ^(AH)writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(AI)we have an ^[a](AJ)Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ² and He Himself is ^(AK)the ^[b]propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also ^(AL)for the sins of the whole world.

^3 (AM)By this we know that we have come to ^(AN)know Him, if we ^(AO)keep His commandments. ⁴ The one who says, “^(AP)I have come to ^(AQ)know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a ^(AR)liar, and ^(AS)the truth is not in him; ⁵ but whoever ^(AT)follows His word, in him the ^(AU)love of God has truly been perfected. ^(AV)By this we know that we are in Him: ⁶ the one who says that he ^(AW)remains in Him ^(AX)ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.

^7 (AY)Beloved, I am ^(AZ)not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had ^(BA)from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. ^8 [c]On the other hand, I am writing ^(BB)a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because ^(BC)the darkness is passing away and ^(BD)the true Light is already shining. ⁹ The one who says that he is in the Light and yet ^(BE)hates his ^(BF)brother or sister is in the darkness until now. ^10 (BG)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 ^(BH)hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and ^(BI)walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has ^(BJ)blinded his eyes.

¹² I am writing to you, ^(BK)little children, because ^(BL)your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name. ¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him ^(BM)who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because ^(BN)you have overcome ^(BO)the evil one. I have written to you, children, because ^(BP)you know the Father. ¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him ^(BQ)who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are ^(BR)strong, and the ^(BS)word of God remains in you, and ^(BT)you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

¹⁵ Do not love ^(BU)the world nor the things in the world. ^(BV)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, ^(BW)the lust of the flesh and ^(BX)the lust of the eyes and ^(BY)the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ^17 (BZ)The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who ^(CA)does the will of God continues to live forever.

¹⁸ Children, ^(CB)it is the last hour; and just as you heard that ^(CC)antichrist is coming, ^(CD)even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. ^19 (CE)They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, ^(CF)so that ^[d]it would be evident that they all are not of us. ^20 [e]But you have an ^(CG)anointing from ^(CH)the Holy One, and ^(CI)you all know. ²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but ^(CJ)because you do know it, and ^[f]because no lie is ^(CK)of the truth. ²² Who is the liar except ^(CL)the one who denies that Jesus is the ^[g]Christ? This is ^(CM)the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. ^23 (CN)Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴ As for you, see that what you heard ^(CO)from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also ^(CP)will remain in the Son and in the Father.

The Promise Is Eternal Life

^25 (CQ)This is the promise which He Himself ^[h]made to us: eternal life.

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to ^(CR)deceive you. ²⁷ And as for you, the ^(CS)anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing ^(CT)teaches you about all things, and is ^(CU)true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, ^[i]you remain in Him.

²⁸ Now, ^(CV)little children, remain in Him, so that when He ^(CW)appears, we may have ^(CX)confidence and ^(CY)not ^[j]draw back from Him in shame ^[k]at His ^(CZ)coming. ²⁹ If you know that ^(DA)He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also ^(DB)has been born of Him.

Children of God Love One Another

3 See ^[l](DC)how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called ^(DD)children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because ^(DE)it did not know Him. ^2 (DF)Beloved, now we are ^(DG)children of God, and ^(DH)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He ^(DI)appears, we will be ^(DJ)like Him, because we will ^(DK)see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this ^(DL)hope set on Him ^(DM)purifies himself, just as He is pure.

⁴ Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and ^(DN)sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that He ^(DO)appeared in order to ^(DP)take away sins; and ^(DQ)in Him there is no sin. ⁶ No one who remains in Him ^(DR)sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or ^[m](DS)knows Him. ^7 (DT)Little children, make sure no one ^(DU)deceives you; ^(DV)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸ the one who practices sin is ^(DW)of the devil; for the devil ^[n]has been sinning from the beginning. ^(DX)The Son of God ^(DY)appeared for this purpose, ^(DZ)to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ No one who has been ^(EA)born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this the ^(EB)children of God and the ^(EC)children of the devil are obvious: ^[o]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who ^(ED)does not love his ^(EE)brother and sister.

^11 (EF)For this is the message ^(EG)which you have heard from the beginning, ^(EH)that we are to love one another; ¹² not as ^(EI)Cain, who was of ^(EJ)the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because ^(EK)his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.

¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if ^(EL)the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have ^(EM)passed out of death into life, ^(EN)because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. ¹⁵ Everyone who ^(EO)hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that ^(EP)no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. ¹⁶ We know love by this, that ^(EQ)He laid down His life for us; and ^(ER)we ought to lay down our lives for the ^(ES)brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ But ^(ET)whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and ^(EU)closes his ^[p]heart ^[q]against him, ^(EV)how does the love of God remain in him? ^18 (EW)Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and ^(EX)truth. ¹⁹ We will know by this that we are ^(EY)of the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him, ²⁰ that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. ^21 (EZ)Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have ^(FA)confidence ^[r]before God; ²² and ^(FB)whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we ^(FC)keep His commandments and do ^(FD)the things that are pleasing in His sight.

²³ This is His commandment, that we ^[s](FE)believe in ^(FF)the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as ^(FG)He ^[t]commanded us. ²⁴ The one who ^(FH)keeps His commandments ^(FI)remains in Him, and He in him. ^(FJ)We know by this that ^(FK)He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Testing the Spirits

4 ^(FL)Beloved, do not believe every ^(FM)spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because ^(FN)many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: ^(FO)every spirit that ^(FP)confesses that ^(FQ)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; ³ and every spirit that ^(FR)does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the ^(FS)antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and ^(FT)now it is already in the world. ⁴ You are from God, ^(FU)little children, and ^(FV)have overcome them; because ^(FW)greater is He who is in you than ^(FX)he who is in the world. ^5 (FY)They are from the world, therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. ^6 (FZ)We are from God. ^(GA)The one who knows God listens to us; ^(GB)the one who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know ^(GC)the spirit of truth and ^(GD)the spirit of error.

God Is Love

^7 (GE)Beloved, let’s ^(GF)love one another; for love is from God, and ^(GG)everyone who loves has been ^(GH)born of God and ^(GI)knows God. ⁸ The one who does not love does not know God, because ^(GJ)God is love. ⁹ By this the love of God was revealed ^[u](GK)in us, that ^(GL)God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, ^(GM)not that we loved God, but that ^(GN)He loved us and sent His Son to be ^(GO)the ^[v]propitiation for our sins. ^11 (GP)Beloved, if God so loved us, ^(GQ)we also ought to love one another. ^12 (GR)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His ^(GS)love is perfected in us. ^13 (GT)By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. ¹⁴ We have seen and ^(GU)testify that the Father has ^(GV)sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

^15 (GW)Whoever confesses that ^(GX)Jesus is the Son of God, God ^(GY)remains in him, and he in God. ^16 (GZ)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has ^[w](HA)for us. ^(HB)God is love, and the one who ^(HC)remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. ¹⁷ By this, ^(HD)love is perfected with us, so that we may have ^(HE)confidence in ^(HF)the day of judgment; because ^(HG)as He is, we also are in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but ^(HH)perfect love drives out fear, because fear ^[x]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not ^(HI)perfected in love. ^19 (HJ)We love, because He first loved us. ^20 (HK)If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he ^(HL)hates his brother or sister, he is a ^(HM)liar; for ^(HN)the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, ^(HO)cannot love God, whom he has not seen. ²¹ And ^(HP)this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God ^(HQ)must also love his brother and sister.

Overcoming the World

5 ^(HR)Everyone who believes that Jesus is the ^[y]Christ has been ^(HS)born of God, and everyone who loves the ^[z]Father ^(HT)loves the child born of Him. ^2 (HU)By this we know that ^(HV)we love the children of God, when we love God and ^[aa]follow His commandments. ³ For ^(HW)this is the love of God, that we ^(HX)keep His commandments; and ^(HY)His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For ^[ab]whoever has been ^(HZ)born of God ^(IA)overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

⁵ Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who ^(IB)believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is the One who came ^(IC)by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not ^[ac]with the water only, but ^[ad]with the water and ^[ae]with the blood. It is ^(ID)the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are ^(IE)three that testify: ^8 [af]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are ^[ag]in agreement. ^9 (IF)If we receive the testimony of people, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that ^(IG)He has testified concerning His Son. ¹⁰ The one who believes in the Son of God ^(IH)has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has ^(II)made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. ¹¹ And the testimony is this, that God has given us ^(IJ)eternal life, and ^(IK)this life is in His Son. ^12 (IL)The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

This Is Written That You May Know

^13 (IM)These things I have written to you who ^(IN)believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have ^(IO)eternal life. ¹⁴ This is ^(IP)the confidence which we have ^[ah]before Him, that, ^(IQ)if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, ^(IR)we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother or sister ^[ai]committing a sin not leading to death, ^(IS)he shall ask and ^[aj]God will, for him, give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. ^(IT)There is sin leading to death; ^(IU)I am not saying that he should ask about that. ^17 (IV)All unrighteousness is sin, and ^(IW)there is sin not leading to death.

^18 (IX)We know that ^(IY)no one who has been born of God ^[ak]sins; but He who was born of God ^(IZ)keeps him, and ^(JA)the evil one does not ^(JB)touch him. ^19 (JC)We know that ^(JD)we are of God, and that ^(JE)the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰ And ^(JF)we know that ^(JG)the Son of God has come, and has ^(JH)given us understanding so that we may know ^(JI)Him who is true; and we ^(JJ)are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. ^(JK)This is the true God and ^(JL)eternal life.

^21 (JM)Little children, guard yourselves from ^(JN)idols.