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1 John 3 - 2 John
New Living Translation

3 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life[a] is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers[b] does not belong to God.

Love One Another

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters,[c] if the world hates you.

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers,[d] it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister[e] is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister[f] in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

Discerning False Prophets

4 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet[g] acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

Loving One Another

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other[h] because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer,[i] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.[j]

Faith in the Son of God

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[k] 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[l]—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[m]— 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[n] 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.[o] 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.[p]

Greetings

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

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children,[r] 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,[s] 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[t] in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[u] 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,[v] chosen by God.

Footnotes

  1. 3:9 Greek because his seed.
  2. 3:10 Greek does not love his brother.
  3. 3:13 Greek brothers.
  4. 3:14 Greek the brothers; similarly in 3:16.
  5. 3:15 Greek hates his brother.
  6. 3:17 Greek sees his brother.
  7. 4:2 Greek If a spirit; similarly in 4:3.
  8. 4:19 Greek We love. Other manuscripts read We love God; still others read We love him.
  9. 4:20 Greek hates his brother.
  10. 4:21 Greek The one who loves God must also love his brother.
  11. 5:1 Or the Messiah.
  12. 5:6 Greek This is he who came by water and blood.
  13. 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.
  14. 5:16 Greek a brother.
  15. 5:20 Greek the one who is true.
  16. 5:21 Greek keep yourselves from idols.
  17. 1a Greek From the elder.
  18. 1b Or the church God has chosen and its members.
  19. 5 Greek I urge you, lady.
  20. 7 Or will come.
  21. 8 Some manuscripts read you.
  22. 13 Or from the members of your sister church.
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1 John 3 - 2 John
New International Version

3 See what great love(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(C) 2 Dear friends,(D) now we are children of God,(E) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a](F) we shall be like him,(G) for we shall see him as he is.(H) 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves,(I) just as he is pure.(J)

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.(K) 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.(L) And in him is no sin.(M) 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.(N) No one who continues to sin has either seen him(O) or known him.(P)

7 Dear children,(Q) do not let anyone lead you astray.(R) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.(S) 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,(T) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God(U) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.(V) 9 No one who is born of God(W) will continue to sin,(X) because God’s seed(Y) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God(Z) are and who the children of the devil(AA) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(AB) their brother and sister.(AC)

More on Love and Hatred

11 For this is the message you heard(AD) from the beginning:(AE) We should love one another.(AF) 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one(AG) and murdered his brother.(AH) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.(AI) 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[b] if the world hates you.(AJ) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,(AK) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.(AL) 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister(AM) is a murderer,(AN) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.(AO)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(AP) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(AQ) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,(AR) how can the love of God be in that person?(AS) 18 Dear children,(AT) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.(AU)

19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends,(AV) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God(AW) 22 and receive from him anything we ask,(AX) because we keep his commands(AY) and do what pleases him.(AZ) 23 And this is his command: to believe(BA) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,(BB) and to love one another as he commanded us.(BC) 24 The one who keeps God’s commands(BD) lives in him,(BE) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.(BF)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,(BG) do not believe every spirit,(BH) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(BI) 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(BJ) is from God,(BK) 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(BL) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(BM)

4 You, dear children,(BN) are from God and have overcome them,(BO) because the one who is in you(BP) is greater than the one who is in the world.(BQ) 5 They are from the world(BR) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(BS) This is how we recognize the Spirit[c] of truth(BT) and the spirit of falsehood.(BU)

God’s Love and Ours

7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(BV) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(BW) and knows God.(BX) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(BY) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(BZ) into the world that we might live through him.(CA) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(CB) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(CC) 11 Dear friends,(CD) since God so loved us,(CE) we also ought to love one another.(CF) 12 No one has ever seen God;(CG) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(CH)

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

God is love.(CO) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(CP) 17 This is how love is made complete(CQ) among us so that we will have confidence(CR) on the day of judgment:(CS) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(CT) 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.(CU) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(CV) is a liar.(CW) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(CX) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(CY) 21 And he has given us this command:(CZ) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(DA)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes(DB) that Jesus is the Christ(DC) is born of God,(DD) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.(DE) 2 This is how we know(DF) that we love the children of God:(DG) by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(DH) And his commands are not burdensome,(DI) 4 for everyone born of God(DJ) overcomes(DK) 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.(DL)

6 This is the one who came by water and blood(DM)—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.(DN) 7 For there are three(DO) that testify: 8 the[d] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony,(DP) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,(DQ) which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.(DR) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,(DS) 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,(DT) and this life is in his Son.(DU) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.(DV)

Concluding Affirmations

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

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.(EC) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.(ED) I am not saying that you should pray about that.(EE) 17 All wrongdoing is sin,(EF) and there is sin that does not lead to death.(EG)

18 We know that anyone born of God(EH) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one(EI) cannot harm them.(EJ) 19 We know that we are children of God,(EK) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(EL) 20 We know also that the Son of God has come(EM) and has given us understanding,(EN) so that we may know him who is true.(EO) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.(EP)

21 Dear children,(EQ) keep yourselves from idols.(ER)

1 The elder,(ES)

To the lady chosen by God(ET) and to her children, whom I love in the truth(EU)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth(EV)— 2 because of the truth,(EW) which lives in us(EX) and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,(EY) 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,(EZ) 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.(FA) I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love:(FB) that we walk in obedience to his commands.(FC) As you have heard from the beginning,(FD) his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ(FE) as coming in the flesh,(FF) have gone out into the world.(FG) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.(FH) 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[e] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(FI) 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ(FJ) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.(FK) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.(FL) 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares(FM) 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,(FN) so that our joy may be complete.(FO)

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known
  2. 1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.
  3. 1 John 4:6 Or spirit
  4. 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)
  5. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you
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