1 John 1
Easy-to-Read Version
1 We want to tell you about the Word[a] that gives life—the one who existed before the world began. This is the one we have heard and have seen with our own eyes. We saw what he did, and our hands touched him. 2 Yes, the one who is life was shown to us. We saw him, and so we can tell others about him. We now tell you about him. He is the eternal life that was with God the Father and was shown to us. 3 We are telling you about what we have seen and heard because we want you to have fellowship[b] with us. The fellowship we share together is with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We write these things to you so that you can be full of joy with us.
God Forgives Our Sins
5 We heard the true teaching from God. Now we tell it to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness. 6 So if we say that we share in life with God, but we continue living in darkness, we are liars, who don’t follow the truth. 7 We should live in the light, where God is. If we live in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood sacrifice of Jesus, God’s Son, washes away every sin and makes us clean.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. We can trust God to do this. He always does what is right. He will make us clean from all the wrong things we have done. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we are saying that God is a liar and that we don’t accept his true teaching.
Footnotes
- 1 John 1:1 Word The Greek word is “ logos,” meaning any kind of communication. Here, it means Christ—the way God told people about himself.
- 1 John 1:3 fellowship Associating with people and sharing things together with them. Believers in Christ share love, joy, sorrow, faith, and other things with each other and with God. Also in verse 7.
1 John 1
King James Version
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 1
English Standard Version
The Word of Life
1 (A)That which was (B)from the beginning, (C)which we have heard, (D)which we have seen with our eyes, (E)which we looked upon and (F)have touched with our hands, concerning the word[a] of life— 2 (G)the life (H)was made manifest, and we have seen it, and (I)testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, (J)which was with the Father and (K)was made manifest to us— 3 (L)that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed (M)our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so (N)that our[b] joy may be complete.
Walking in the Light
5 (O)This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that (P)God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 (Q)If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and (R)do not practice the truth. 7 But (S)if we walk in the light, (T)as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and (U)the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 (V)If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and (W)the truth is not in us. 9 (X)If we confess our sins, he is (Y)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and (Z)to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, (AA)we make him a liar, and (AB)his word is not in us.
Footnotes
- 1 John 1:1 Or Word
- 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
