我的孩子们,我写这些话给你们是为了叫你们不要犯罪。如果有人犯了罪,在父那里我们有一位护慰者,就是那位义者——耶稣基督。 祂为我们的罪作了赎罪祭,不只是为我们的罪,也是为全人类的罪。

我们若遵行上帝的命令,就知道自己认识祂。 若有人说“我认识祂”,却不遵行祂的命令,这人是说谎的,他心中没有真理。 遵行主话语的人是真正全心爱上帝的人,我们借此知道自己是在主里面。 所以,自称住在主里面的,就该在生活中效法基督。

新命令

亲爱的弟兄姊妹,我写给你们的并不是一条新命令,而是你们起初接受的旧命令,这旧命令就是你们已经听过的真道。 然而,我写给你们的也是新命令,在基督和你们身上都显明是真实的,因为黑暗渐渐过去,真光已经照耀出来。

若有人说自己在光明中,却恨他的弟兄姊妹,他就仍然活在黑暗里。 10 爱弟兄姊妹的人活在光明中,没有什么可以绊倒他[a] 11 恨弟兄姊妹的人活在黑暗中,走在黑暗中,不知何去何从,因为黑暗弄瞎了他的眼睛。

12 孩子们,我写信给你们,因为靠着祂的名,你们的罪已经得到赦免。 13 父老们,我写信给你们,因为你们认识了从太初就存在的那位。年轻人,我写信给你们,因为你们已经战胜了那恶者。

14 孩子们,我曾写信给你们,因为你们认识了父。父老们,我曾写信给你们,因为你们认识了从太初就存在的那位。年轻人,我曾写信给你们,因为你们刚强,上帝的道常存在你们心里,并且你们战胜了那恶者。

15 不要爱世界和世上的事,因为人若爱世界,就不会再有爱父的心了。 16 凡属世界的,如肉体的私欲、眼目的私欲和今生的骄傲都不是从父那里来的,而是从世界来的。 17 这世界和其中一切的私欲都要过去,但遵守上帝旨意的人永远长存。

防备敌基督者

18 孩子们,现在是末世了。你们从前听说敌基督者要来,其实现在许多敌基督者已经出现了,由此可知,现在是末世了。 19 这些人是从我们中间出去的,但他们不属于我们。他们如果属于我们,就会留在我们当中了。他们的离去表明他们都不属于我们。

20 你们从那位圣者领受了圣灵[b],所以你们明白真理。 21 我写信给你们不是因为你们不明白真理,而是因为你们明白真理,并且知道真理里面绝对没有谎言。 22 谁是说谎的呢?不就是那否认耶稣是基督的吗?那不承认父和子的就是敌基督者。 23 凡否认子的,也否认了父;凡承认子的,也承认了父。

24 你们务要把起初所听见的教导谨记在心,这样,你们必住在子和父里面。 25 主应许给我们的是永生。 26 以上的话是针对那些引诱你们离开正道的人写的。

顺从圣灵

27 你们既然从主领受了圣灵,圣灵又住在你们心中,就不需要其他人来教导你们,因为圣灵必会在一切事上指引你们。圣灵的教导是真实的,没有虚假,你们要按圣灵的教导住在主里面。 28 孩子们,你们要住在主里面。这样,当主显现的时候,就是祂再来的时候,我们便能坦然无惧,不会在祂面前羞愧。 29 既然你们知道主是公义的,也该知道所有按公义行事的人都是上帝的儿女。

Footnotes

  1. 2:10 没有什么可以绊倒他”或译“他也不会绊倒别人”。
  2. 2:20 圣灵”希腊文指“膏抹”。

耶稣是我们的助手

我亲爱的孩子,我写信告诉你们这些事,是为了让你们不再犯罪。但是如果有人犯罪,我们有耶稣基督来帮助我们。他是那位义者,他会在上帝面前为我们辩护。 耶稣是除去我们罪孽的祭品,他不仅仅只是为了我们,也是为全人类而牺牲的。

如果我们遵守上帝的命令,我们就能肯定,我们真正地认识上帝。 如果一个人说“我认识上帝!”,但却不遵守上帝的命令,他就是说谎者,真理就不在他之中。 遵守上帝教导的人,他对上帝的爱在他之中会真正地得以实现。这就是我们如何知道我们在遵守上帝的教导的方法: 如果一个人说自己生活在上帝之中,他就必须像耶稣那样生活。

上帝告诉我们爱人

亲爱的朋友,我写给你们的不是一条新的命令,它是那条你们从一开始就接受了的命令,这条旧命令是你们已经听过的教导。 然而,我还是把这条命令做为新的命令写给你们。这条命令是真实的,你们能在基督和你们自己的生活中看到它的真理。黑暗已经逝去,真正的光已在闪烁。

如果有人说他生活在光之中,但却憎恨他的兄弟,那么,他仍然生活在黑暗(罪)之中。 10 爱自己兄弟的人才生活在这光之中。在他之中,没有任何使人犯罪的东西! 11 憎恨兄弟的人处在黑暗之中。他生活在黑暗之中,不知自己要去何方,因为黑暗使他盲目。

12 亲爱的孩子,我写信给你们,
因为你们的罪恶已通过基督而得到宽恕。
13 我写信给你们做父亲的,
因为你们知道从一开始就存在的那位。
我写信给你们年轻人,
因为你们战胜了那个邪恶者(魔鬼)。
14 孩子们,我写信给你们,
因为你们认识父。
我写信给你们做父亲的,
因为你们知道一开始就存在的那位。
我写信给你们年轻人,
因为你们强壮有力,
上帝的信息生活在你们之中。
你们已战胜了那个邪恶者。

15 不要爱这个世界或世上的东西。如果一个人爱这个世界,他心中就没有对上帝的爱。 16 这些是世上的邪恶事物:

满足我们罪恶自我的欲望;

对我们所见的罪恶事物的欲望

和对我们拥有的东西骄傲。

这些东西都不是来自于父(上帝),而是来自于这个世界。 17 这个世界正在消逝,人们在世上所欲望的东西也在消逝。但是,执行上帝旨意的人会永远活着。

不要跟随基督的敌人

18 我的孩子,终结近在咫尺。你们已经听说基督的敌人要来。他的许多敌人已经出现在这里了。所以我们知道终结临近了。 19 基督的敌人曾在我们中间,但是他们已离开了我们。他们从来就没有真正地属于过我们。假如他们真正属于我们,他们就会和我们呆在一起。但是,他们离开了,这就表明他们没人真正属于我们。

20 你们都领受了那位圣者(上帝或基督)给你们的恩赐,所以你们都应该认识真理。 21 我写信给你们,不是因为你们不认识真理,而是因为你们的确认识真理,并且知道谎言不会出自真理。

22 那么谁是说谎者呢?不正是否认耶稣是基督的人吗?这种人就是基督的敌人,他既不信仰父,也不信仰他的儿子(基督)。 23 不信仰子(基督)的人,就没有父;接受子的人,就有父。

24 你们必须继续服从你们一开始所听到的教导,这样,你们就会在子(基督)和父(上帝)之中。 25 这就是基督应许给我们的永生。

26 我写这封信给你们,是关于那些企图引诱你们误入歧途的人。 27 基督给了你们一份特殊的恩赐 [a]。这份恩赐仍然在你们之中。所以你们不需要任何人去教导你们。给你们的恩赐会把一切事情教导给你们的。这恩赐是真实的,不是虚假的。所以,你们要继续生活在基督之中,就像他给你们的恩赐教导你们的那样。

28 所以,我亲爱的孩子,你们要生活在基督之中,这样,在他再来的那天,我们就可以无所畏惧(有信心),就不会躲藏或感到羞愧。 29 你们知道耶稣是正义的(好的),所以你们知道:所有做正义(好)事情的人,都是上帝的孩子。

Footnotes

  1. 約 翰 一 書 2:27 恩赐: 直译“涂油”。此字可指圣灵或教导或真理,如同第二十节。

My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father—[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].

And He [[a]that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

And this is how we may discern [[b]daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments).

Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [[c]of the Gospel] is not in him.

But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:

Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as [d]a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [the [e]doctrine of salvation through Christ].

Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness ([f]moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light ([g]the revelation of God in Christ) is already shining.

Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, [h]born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now.

10 Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin.

11 But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [[i]in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, little children, because for His name’s sake your sins are forgiven [pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name].

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be aware of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]. I write to you, [j]boys (lads), because you have come to know (recognize and be aware) of the Father.

14 I write to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the Word of God is [always] abiding in you (in your hearts), and you have been victorious over the wicked one.

15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

18 [k]Boys (lads), it is the last time (hour, the end of this age). And as you have heard that the antichrist [he who will oppose Christ in the guise of Christ] is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, which confirms our belief that it is the final (the end) time.

19 They went out from our number, but they did not [really] belong to us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But [they withdrew] that it might be plain that they all are not of us.

20 But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.

21 I write to you not because you are ignorant and do not perceive and know the Truth, but because you do perceive and know it, and [know positively] that nothing false (no deception, no lie) is of the Truth.

22 Who is [such a] liar as he who denies that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah)? He is the antichrist (the antagonist of Christ), who [[l]habitually] denies and refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.

23 No one who [[m]habitually] denies (disowns) the Son [n]even has the Father. Whoever confesses (acknowledges and has) the Son has the Father also.

24 As for you, keep in your hearts what you have heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the first dwells and remains in you, then you will dwell in the Son and in the Father [always].

25 And this is what He Himself has promised us—the life, the eternal [life].

26 I write this to you with reference to those who would deceive you [seduce and lead you astray].

27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [[o]permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being [p]rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].

28 And now, little children, abide (live, remain [q]permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.

29 If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father’s will in purpose, thought, and action], you may also know (be sure) that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [[r]God].

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:2 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  2. 1 John 2:3 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  3. 1 John 2:4 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
  4. 1 John 2:6 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  5. 1 John 2:7 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
  6. 1 John 2:8 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  7. 1 John 2:8 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  8. 1 John 2:9 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
  9. 1 John 2:11 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
  10. 1 John 2:13 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
  11. 1 John 2:18 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
  12. 1 John 2:22 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  13. 1 John 2:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  14. 1 John 2:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  15. 1 John 2:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  16. 1 John 2:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  17. 1 John 2:28 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  18. 1 John 2:29 Brooke F. Westcott, The Epistles of Saint John: When John thinks of God in relation to men, he never thinks of Him apart from Christ.