What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched^(A)

1 That ^(B)which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ^(C)seen with our eyes, ^(D)which we have looked upon, and ^(E)our hands have handled, concerning the ^(F)Word of life— ^2 (G)the life ^(H)was manifested, and we have seen, ^(I)and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was ^(J)with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is ^(K)with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And these things we write to you ^(L)that ^[a]your joy may be full.

Fellowship with Him and One Another

^5 (M)This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that ^(N)God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ^6 (O)If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we ^(P)walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and ^(Q)the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses 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 ^(R)confess our sins, He is ^(S)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to ^(T)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we ^(U)make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

The Test of Knowing Christ

2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(V)we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And ^(W)He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(X)also for the whole world.

Do Not Love the World

^15 (A)Do not love the world or the things in the world. ^(B)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, ^(C)the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

^22 (A)Who is a liar but he who denies that ^(B)Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. ^23 (C)Whoever denies the Son does not have the ^(D)Father either; ^(E)he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Let Truth Abide in You

²⁴ Therefore let that abide in you ^(F)which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, ^(G)you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. ^25 (H)And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

The Command to Love

3 Behold ^(A)what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that ^(B)we should be called children of ^[a]God! Therefore the world does not know ^[b]us, ^(C)because it did not know Him.

¹⁴ And ^(A)we have seen and testify that ^(B)the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

⁷ For there are three that bear witness ^[a]in heaven: the Father, ^(A)the Word, and the Holy Spirit; ^(B)and these three are one.