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1 John 1-5
New King James Version

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.

The Test of Knowing Him

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a (Y)liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But (Z)whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [b]is perfected (AA)in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 (AB)He who says he abides in Him (AC)ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

7 [c]Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had (AD)from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard [d]from the beginning. 8 Again, (AE)a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, (AF)because the darkness is passing away, and (AG)the true light is already shining.

9 (AH)He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 (AI)He who loves his brother abides in the light, and (AJ)there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who (AK)hates his brother is in darkness and (AL)walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Their Spiritual State

12 I write to you, little children,
Because (AM)your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is (AN)from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have (AO)known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because (AP)you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.

Do Not Love the World

15 (AQ)Do not love the world or the things in the world. (AR)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, (AS)the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And (AT)the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Deceptions of the Last Hour

18 (AU)Little children, (AV)it is the last hour; and as you have heard that (AW)the[e] Antichrist is coming, (AX)even now many antichrists have come, by which we know (AY)that it is the last hour. 19 (AZ)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for (BA)if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out (BB)that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

20 But (BC)you have an anointing (BD)from the Holy One, and (BE)you[f] know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 (BF)Who is a liar but he who denies that (BG)Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 (BH)Whoever denies the Son does not have the (BI)Father either; (BJ)he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Let Truth Abide in You

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

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to [g]deceive you. 27 But the (BN)anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and (BO)you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing (BP)teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you [h]will abide in Him.

The Children of God

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that [i]when He appears, we may have (BQ)confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 (BR)If you know that He is righteous, you know that (BS)everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

The Command to Love

3 Behold (BT)what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that (BU)we should be called children of [j]God! Therefore the world does not know [k]us, (BV)because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, (BW)now we are children of God; and (BX)it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, (BY)we shall be like Him, for (BZ)we shall see Him as He is. 3 (CA)And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and (CB)sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know (CC)that He was manifested (CD)to take away our sins, and (CE)in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 (CF)He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, (CG)that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been (CH)born of God does not sin, for (CI)His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love(CJ)

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, (CK)that we should love one another, 12 not as (CL)Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if (CM)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [l]his brother abides in death. 15 (CN)Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that (CO)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love

16 (CP)By this we know love, (CQ)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But (CR)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, (CS)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we [m]know (CT)that we are of the truth, and shall [n]assure our hearts before Him. 20 (CU)For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, (CV)we have confidence toward God. 22 And (CW)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments (CX)and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ (CY)and love one another, as He gave [o]us commandment.

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

24 Now (CZ)he who keeps His commandments (DA)abides in Him, and He in him. And (DB)by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Love for God and One Another

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but (DC)test the spirits, whether they are of God; because (DD)many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (DE)Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [p]that Jesus [q]Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than (DF)he who is in the world. 5 (DG)They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and (DH)the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. (DI)By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Knowing God Through Love(DJ)

7 (DK)Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who (DL)loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 (DM)In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten (DN)Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, (DO)not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son (DP)to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, (DQ)if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

12 (DR)No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 (DS)By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And (DT)we have seen and testify that (DU)the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 (DV)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and (DW)he who abides in love abides in God, and God (DX)in him.

The Consummation of Love

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that (DY)we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 (DZ)We love [r]Him because He first loved us.

Obedience by Faith

20 (EA)If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, [s]how can he love God (EB)whom he has not seen? 21 And (EC)this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Obedience by Faith

5 Whoever believes that (ED)Jesus is the Christ is (EE)born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and (EF)keep His commandments. 3 (EG)For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And (EH)His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For (EI)whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that (EJ)has overcome the world—[t]our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but (EK)he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Certainty of God’s Witness

6 This is He who came (EL)by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. (EM)And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness [u]in heaven: the Father, (EN)the Word, and the Holy Spirit; (EO)and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: (EP)the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

9 If we receive (EQ)the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; (ER)for this is the witness of [v]God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God (ES)has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God (ET)has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 (EU)He who has the Son has [w]life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, [x]and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Confidence and Compassion in Prayer

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that (EV)if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and (EW)He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. (EX)There is sin leading to death. (EY)I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 (EZ)All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Knowing the True—Rejecting the False

18 We know that (FA)whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God (FB)keeps[y] [z]himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are of God, and (FC)the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

20 And we know that the (FD)Son of God has come and (FE)has given us an understanding, (FF)that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. (FG)This is the true God (FH)and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:4 NU, M our
  2. 1 John 2:5 has been completed
  3. 1 John 2:7 NU Beloved
  4. 1 John 2:7 NU omits from the beginning
  5. 1 John 2:18 NU omits the
  6. 1 John 2:20 NU you all know.
  7. 1 John 2:26 lead you astray
  8. 1 John 2:27 NU omits will
  9. 1 John 2:28 NU if
  10. 1 John 3:1 NU adds And we are.
  11. 1 John 3:1 M you
  12. 1 John 3:14 NU omits his brother
  13. 1 John 3:19 NU shall know
  14. 1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest
  15. 1 John 3:23 M omits us
  16. 1 John 4:3 NU omits that
  17. 1 John 4:3 NU omits Christ has come in the flesh
  18. 1 John 4:19 NU omits Him
  19. 1 John 4:20 NU he cannot
  20. 1 John 5:4 M your
  21. 1 John 5:7 NU, M omit the words from in heaven (v. 7) through on earth (v. 8). Only 4 or 5 very late mss. contain these words in Greek.
  22. 1 John 5:9 NU God, that
  23. 1 John 5:12 Or the life
  24. 1 John 5:13 NU omits the rest of v. 13.
  25. 1 John 5:18 guards
  26. 1 John 5:18 NU him
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1 John 1-5
New International Version

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. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(M) we lie and do not live out the truth.(N) 7 But if we walk in the light,(O) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.(P)

8 If we claim to be without sin,(Q) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(R) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(S) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(T) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(U) we make him out to be a liar(V) and his word is not in us.(W)

2 My dear children,(X) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(Y) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(Z) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(AA)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

3 We know(AB) that we have come to know him(AC) if we keep his commands.(AD) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,”(AE) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(AF) 5 But if anyone obeys his word,(AG) love for God[c] is truly made complete in them.(AH) This is how we know(AI) we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(AJ)

7 Dear friends,(AK) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(AL) This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command;(AM) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(AN) and the true light(AO) is already shining.(AP)

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[d](AQ) is still in the darkness.(AR) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[e] lives in the light,(AS) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(AT) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(AU) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(AV) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(AW)

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children,(AX)
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(AY)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(AZ)
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome(BA) the evil one.(BB)

14 I write to you, dear children,(BC)
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(BD)
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,(BE)
    and the word of God(BF) lives in you,(BG)
    and you have overcome the evil one.(BH)

On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(BI) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[f] is not in them.(BJ) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(BK) the lust of the eyes,(BL) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(BM) but whoever does the will of God(BN) lives forever.

Warnings Against Denying the Son

18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(BO) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(BP) even now many antichrists have come.(BQ) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(BR) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.(BS)

20 But you have an anointing(BT) from the Holy One,(BU) and all of you know the truth.[g](BV) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(BW) and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.(BX) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(BY)

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning(BZ) remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.(CA) 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.(CB)

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.(CC) 27 As for you, the anointing(CD) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things(CE) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.(CF)

God’s Children and Sin

28 And now, dear children,(CG) continue in him, so that when he appears(CH) we may be confident(CI) and unashamed before him at his coming.(CJ)

29 If you know that he is righteous,(CK) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.(CL)

3 See what great love(CM) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!(CN) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(CO) 2 Dear friends,(CP) now we are children of God,(CQ) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[h](CR) we shall be like him,(CS) for we shall see him as he is.(CT) 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves,(CU) just as he is pure.(CV)

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.(CW) 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.(CX) And in him is no sin.(CY) 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.(CZ) No one who continues to sin has either seen him(DA) or known him.(DB)

7 Dear children,(DC) do not let anyone lead you astray.(DD) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.(DE) 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,(DF) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God(DG) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.(DH) 9 No one who is born of God(DI) will continue to sin,(DJ) because God’s seed(DK) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God(DL) are and who the children of the devil(DM) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(DN) their brother and sister.(DO)

More on Love and Hatred

11 For this is the message you heard(DP) from the beginning:(DQ) We should love one another.(DR) 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one(DS) and murdered his brother.(DT) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.(DU) 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[i] if the world hates you.(DV) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,(DW) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.(DX) 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister(DY) is a murderer,(DZ) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.(EA)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(EB) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(EC) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,(ED) how can the love of God be in that person?(EE) 18 Dear children,(EF) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.(EG)

19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends,(EH) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God(EI) 22 and receive from him anything we ask,(EJ) because we keep his commands(EK) and do what pleases him.(EL) 23 And this is his command: to believe(EM) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,(EN) and to love one another as he commanded us.(EO) 24 The one who keeps God’s commands(EP) lives in him,(EQ) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.(ER)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,(ES) do not believe every spirit,(ET) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(EU) 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(EV) is from God,(EW) 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(EX) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(EY)

4 You, dear children,(EZ) are from God and have overcome them,(FA) because the one who is in you(FB) is greater than the one who is in the world.(FC) 5 They are from the world(FD) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(FE) This is how we recognize the Spirit[j] of truth(FF) and the spirit of falsehood.(FG)

God’s Love and Ours

7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(FH) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(FI) and knows God.(FJ) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(FK) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(FL) into the world that we might live through him.(FM) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(FN) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(FO) 11 Dear friends,(FP) since God so loved us,(FQ) we also ought to love one another.(FR) 12 No one has ever seen God;(FS) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(FT)

13 This is how we know(FU) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(FV) 14 And we have seen and testify(FW) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(FX) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(FY) God lives in them and they in God.(FZ) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.(GA) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(GB) 17 This is how love is made complete(GC) among us so that we will have confidence(GD) on the day of judgment:(GE) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(GF) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.(GG) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(GH) is a liar.(GI) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(GJ) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(GK) 21 And he has given us this command:(GL) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(GM)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes(GN) that Jesus is the Christ(GO) is born of God,(GP) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.(GQ) 2 This is how we know(GR) that we love the children of God:(GS) by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(GT) And his commands are not burdensome,(GU) 4 for everyone born of God(GV) overcomes(GW) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(GX)

6 This is the one who came by water and blood(GY)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.(GZ) 7 For there are three(HA) that testify: 8 the[k] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony,(HB) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,(HC) which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.(HD) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,(HE) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,(HF) and this life is in his Son.(HG) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.(HH)

Concluding Affirmations

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God(HI) so that you may know that you have eternal life.(HJ) 14 This is the confidence(HK) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.(HL) 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know(HM) that we have what we asked of him.(HN)

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.(HO) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.(HP) I am not saying that you should pray about that.(HQ) 17 All wrongdoing is sin,(HR) and there is sin that does not lead to death.(HS)

18 We know that anyone born of God(HT) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one(HU) cannot harm them.(HV) 19 We know that we are children of God,(HW) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(HX) 20 We know also that the Son of God has come(HY) and has given us understanding,(HZ) so that we may know him who is true.(IA) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.(IB)

21 Dear children,(IC) keep yourselves from idols.(ID)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
  2. 1 John 1:7 Or every
  3. 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
  4. 1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
  5. 1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
  6. 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
  7. 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things
  8. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known
  9. 1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.
  10. 1 John 4:6 Or spirit
  11. 1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)
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