1 John 2
Christian Standard Bible
2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate(A) with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice[a](B) for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.(C)
God’s Commands
3 This is how we know(D) that we know him: if we keep his commands.(E) 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word,(F) truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him:(G) 6 The one who says he remains in him(H) should walk just as he walked.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command(I) but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word(J) you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away(K) and the true light(L) is already shining.(M) 9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister(N) is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother or sister(O) remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.[b] 11 But the one who hates his brother or sister(P) is in the darkness, walks in the darkness,(Q) and doesn’t know where he’s going,(R) because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Reasons for Writing
12 I am writing to you, little children,
since your sins have been forgiven
on account of his name.(S)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the one who is from the beginning.(T)
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the evil one.(U)
14 I have written to you, children,
because you have come to know the Father.
I have written to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the one who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong,
God’s word(V) remains in you,
and you have conquered the evil one.
A Warning about the World
15 Do not love the world(W) or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(X) the lust of the eyes,(Y) and the pride(Z) in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away,(AA) but the one who does the will of God(AB) remains forever.(AC)
The Last Hour
18 Children, it is the last hour.(AD) And as you have heard that antichrist(AE) is coming, even now many antichrists have come. By this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
20 But you have an anointing(AF) from the Holy One,(AG) and all of you know the truth.[c] 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?(AH) This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father;(AI) he who confesses the Son has the Father as well.(AJ)
Remaining with God
24 What you have heard from the beginning is to remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son(AK) and in the Father.(AL) 25 And this is the promise that he himself made to us: eternal life.(AM)
26 I have written these things to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, his anointing teaches you about all things(AN) and is true and is not a lie; just as it has taught you,[d] remain in him.(AO)
God’s Children
28 So now, little children, remain in him so that when he appears(AP) we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.(AQ) 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right(AR) has been born of him.(AS)
1 John 2
Lexham English Bible
Keeping the New Commandment
2 My little children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one, 2 and he[a] is the propitiation[b] for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 The one who says “I have come to know him,” and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. 6 The one who says that he resides in him ought also to walk[c] just as that one walked.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the message which you have heard. 8 Again, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you, because[d] the darkness is passing away and the true light already is shining. 9 The one who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Encouragement and Assurance
12 I am writing to you, little children, because[e] your sins have been forgiven you on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because[f] you have known the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because[g] you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because[h] you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because[i] you have known the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because[j] you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16 because everything that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance of material possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and its desire,[k] but the one who does the will of God remains forever[l].
Departure of the False Teachers
18 Children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out[m], in order that it might be shown that all of them are not of us.
20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because[n] you do not know the truth, but because[o] you do know it, and because[p] every lie is not of the truth. 22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This person is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he himself promised us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning the ones who are trying to deceive you.
27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not have need that anyone teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you reside[q] in him.
God’s Children
28 And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone[r] who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:2 Or “he himself” (emphatic)
- 1 John 2:2 Or “expiation”; or “atoning sacrifice”
- 1 John 2:6 Some manuscripts have “to walk in this way”
- 1 John 2:8 Or perhaps “that”
- 1 John 2:12 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:13 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:13 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:14 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:14 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:14 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:17 Or “and the desire for it”
- 1 John 2:17 Literally “for the age”
- 1 John 2:19 This is an understood repetition of the phrase “they went out” from the beginning of v. 19
- 1 John 2:21 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:21 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:21 Or “that”
- 1 John 2:27 By form the verb could also be imperative: “just as it has taught you, reside in him”
- 1 John 2:29 Some manuscripts have “everyone also”
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