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
New Living Translation
2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
A New Commandment
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer,[a] that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves a fellow believer[b] is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.[c]
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith[d]
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.
Do Not Love This World
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
Warning about Antichrists
18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit,[e] and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ.[f] Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.[g] 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.
26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit,[h] and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit[i] teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
Living as Children of God
28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.
Footnotes
- 2:9 Greek hates his brother; also in 2:11.
- 2:10 Greek loves his brother.
- 2:12 Greek through his name.
- 2:13 Or to you fathers; also in 2:14.
- 2:20 Greek But you have an anointing from the Holy One.
- 2:22a Or not the Messiah.
- 2:22b Or the antichrist.
- 2:27a Greek the anointing from him.
- 2:27b Greek the anointing.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
