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¶ My little children, I write these things unto you, that ye sin not; and if anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate before the Father, Jesus, the righteous Christ;

and he is the reconciliation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

¶ And in this we do know that we have known him if we keep his commandments.

He that says, I have known him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whosoever keeps his word, in him verily is the charity of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

¶ Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which is the truth in him and in you, because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines.

He that says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

10 He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.

11 But he that hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he goes, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

12 ¶ I write unto you, little children, that your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

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

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

15 Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the charity 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 passes away and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God abides for ever.

18 ¶ Little children, it is the last hour, and as ye have heard that the antichrist comes, likewise there are also beginning to be many antichrists, by which 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 this happened that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20 ¶ But ye have the anointing of the Holy One, and ye know all things.

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

22 Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This same is antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

23 Whosoever denies the Son, the same does not have the Father. Whosoever confesses the Son, has the Father also.

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

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

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

27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abides in you, and ye do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you of all things and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it has taught you, abide ye 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, also know that any one that does righteousness is born of him.

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

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

We know(E) that we have come to know him(F) if we keep his commands.(G) Whoever says, “I know him,”(H) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(I) But if anyone obeys his word,(J) love for God[a] is truly made complete in them.(K) This is how we know(L) we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(M)

Dear friends,(N) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(O) This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command;(P) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(Q) and the true light(R) is already shining.(S)

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b](T) is still in the darkness.(U) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[c] lives in the light,(V) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(W) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(X) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(Y) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(Z)

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children,(AA)
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(AB)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(AC)
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome(AD) the evil one.(AE)

14 I write to you, dear children,(AF)
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(AG)
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,(AH)
    and the word of God(AI) lives in you,(AJ)
    and you have overcome the evil one.(AK)

On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(AL) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them.(AM) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(AN) the lust of the eyes,(AO) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(AP) but whoever does the will of God(AQ) lives forever.

Warnings Against Denying the Son

18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(AR) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(AS) even now many antichrists have come.(AT) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(AU) 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.(AV)

20 But you have an anointing(AW) from the Holy One,(AX) and all of you know the truth.[e](AY) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(AZ) 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.(BA) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(BB)

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

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

God’s Children and Sin

28 And now, dear children,(BJ) continue in him, so that when he appears(BK) we may be confident(BL) and unashamed before him at his coming.(BM)

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
  5. 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things