1 John 2:3-11

Contemporary English Version

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 (A) 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.^{[a] 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.