Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children,(A)
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(B)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(C)
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome(D) the evil one.(E)

14 I write to you, dear children,(F)
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(G)
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,(H)
    and the word of God(I) lives in you,(J)
    and you have overcome the evil one.(K)

On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(L) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them.(M) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(N) the lust of the eyes,(O) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(P) but whoever does the will of God(Q) lives forever.

Warnings Against Denying the Son

18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(R) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(S) even now many antichrists have come.(T) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(U) 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.(V)

20 But you have an anointing(W) from the Holy One,(X) and all of you know the truth.[b](Y) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(Z) 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.(AA) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(AB)

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

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.(AF) 27 As for you, the anointing(AG) 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(AH) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.(AI)

God’s Children and Sin

28 And now, dear children,(AJ) continue in him, so that when he appears(AK) we may be confident(AL) and unashamed before him at his coming.(AM)

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

See what great love(AP) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!(AQ) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(AR) Dear friends,(AS) now we are children of God,(AT) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[c](AU) we shall be like him,(AV) for we shall see him as he is.(AW)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
  2. 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things
  3. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.