The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning,^(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,^(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched^(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared;^(D) we have seen it and testify to it,^(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,^(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,^(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.^{(H) 4} We write this^(I) to make our^[a] joy complete.^(J)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

⁵ This is the message we have heard^(K) from him and declare to you: God is light;^(L) in him there is no darkness at all.

¹¹ Dear friends,^(A) since God so loved us,^(B) we also ought to love one another.^{(C) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(D) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(E)

¹³ This is how we know^(F) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(G) 14} And we have seen and testify^(H) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^{(I) 15} If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(J) God lives in them and they in God.^{(K) 16} And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(L) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^(M)