1 John 1-5
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Word of Life
1 [a]That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship[b] with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing this that our[c] joy may be complete.
God Is Light
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness[d] at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; 7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Christ Our Advocate
2 My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments.[e] 4 He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6 he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
A New Commandment
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in him and in you, because[f] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it[g] there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But he 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.
12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for 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 of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.
Warning against Antichrists
18 Children, it is the last hour;[h] and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore 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 continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know.[i] 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he has promised us,[j] eternal life.
26 I write this to you about those who would deceive you; 27 but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.
Children of God
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that every one who does right is born of him.
3 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him sins;[k] no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God commits sin; for God’s[l] nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is[m] born of God. 10 By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother.
Love One Another
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not wonder, brethren, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love remains in death. 15 Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But if any one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
Testing the Spirits
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits[n] to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world, therefore what they say is of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for 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. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because he first loved us. 20 If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot[o] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.
Faith Conquers the World
5 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Testimony concerning the Son of God
6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. 7 And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 8 There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree.[p] 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to his Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne to his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life.
Epilogue
13 I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. 16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God[q] will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.
18 We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Footnotes
- 1.1-7 Note the likeness with John’s Gospel 1.1-18.
- 1.3 fellowship: A Johannine theme.
- 1 John 1:4 Other ancient authorities read your
- 1.5 light . . . darkness: Another familiar theme in John’s Gospel.
- 2.3 Cf. the words of Jesus, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14.15).
- 1 John 2:8 Or that
- 1 John 2:10 Or him
- 2.18 the last hour: John exhorts his readers to hold fast, as though the end were at hand.
- 1 John 2:20 Other ancient authorities read you know everything
- 1 John 2:25 Other ancient authorities read you
- 3.6 sins: i.e., remains in sin, or has a habit of sin.
- 1 John 3:9 Greek his
- 1 John 3:9 Or for the offspring of God abide in him, and they cannot sin because they are
- 4.1 test the spirits: i.e., examine those who claim to have special gifts from the Holy Spirit; cf. 1 Cor 14.32.
- 1 John 4:20 Other ancient authorities read how can he
- 5.8 This reads as follows in the Vulgate: “7 There are three who give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three are one.” The “Three Heavenly Witnesses,” as the first sentence is called, is first found in the Latin (fourth century) and does not appear in any Greek manuscript until the fifteenth century. It is probably a marginal gloss that found its way into the text.
- 1 John 5:16 Greek he
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 John 1:4 NU, M our
- 1 John 2:5 has been completed
- 1 John 2:7 NU Beloved
- 1 John 2:7 NU omits from the beginning
- 1 John 2:18 NU omits the
- 1 John 2:20 NU you all know.
- 1 John 2:26 lead you astray
- 1 John 2:27 NU omits will
- 1 John 2:28 NU if
- 1 John 3:1 NU adds And we are.
- 1 John 3:1 M you
- 1 John 3:14 NU omits his brother
- 1 John 3:19 NU shall know
- 1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest
- 1 John 3:23 M omits us
- 1 John 4:3 NU omits that
- 1 John 4:3 NU omits Christ has come in the flesh
- 1 John 4:19 NU omits Him
- 1 John 4:20 NU he cannot
- 1 John 5:4 M your
- 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.
- 1 John 5:9 NU God, that
- 1 John 5:12 Or the life
- 1 John 5:13 NU omits the rest of v. 13.
- 1 John 5:18 guards
- 1 John 5:18 NU him
2 John
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Salutation
1 The elder[a] to the elect lady[b] and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us for ever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
Truth and Love
4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children following the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. 5 And now I beg you, lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we follow his commandments; this is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you follow love. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you[c] have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Any one who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son. 10 If any one comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into the house or give him any greeting; 11 for he who greets him shares his wicked work.
Final Greetings
12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children[d] of your elect sister greet you.
Footnotes
- 1 The elder: Perhaps the head of the group or “college” of elders that presided over each Christian community. John was head not only of the Ephesus community but of all the communities in the province of Asia.
- 1 the elect lady: Probably not an individual lady but a particular church or community in Asia.
- 2 John 1:8 Other ancient authorities read we
- 13 children: i.e., the Christians of Ephesus.
2 John
New King James Version
Greeting the Elect Lady
1 The Elder,
To the [a]elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known (A)the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 (B)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with [b]you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Walk in Christ’s Commandments
4 I (C)rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: (D)that we love one another. 6 (E)This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that (F)as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
Beware of Antichrist Deceivers
7 For (G)many deceivers have gone out into the world (H)who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. (I)This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 (J)Look to yourselves, (K)that [c]we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9 (L)Whoever [d]transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and (M)does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
John’s Farewell Greeting
12 (N)Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, (O)that our joy may be full.
13 (P)The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 John 1:1 chosen
- 2 John 1:3 NU, M us
- 2 John 1:8 NU you
- 2 John 1:9 NU goes ahead
3 John
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Salutation
1 The elder to the beloved Ga′ius, whom I love in the truth.
Gaius Commended for His Hospitality
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul. 3 For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth. 4 No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.
5 Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the brethren, especially to strangers, 6 who have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey as befits God’s service. 7 For they have set out for his sake and have accepted nothing from the heathen. 8 So we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers in the truth.
Diotrephes and Demetrius
9 I have written something to the church; but Diot′rephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, prating against me with evil words. And not content with that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church.
11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God. 12 Deme′trius[a] has testimony from every one, and from the truth itself; I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true.
Final Greetings
13 I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.
15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them.
Footnotes
- 12 Demetrius: Evidently a leading Christian, recommended to Gaius.
3 John
New King James Version
Greeting to Gaius
1 The Elder,
To the beloved Gaius, (A)whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I (B)rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater (C)joy than to hear that (D)my children walk in [a]truth.
Gaius Commended for Generosity
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren [b]and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, (E)taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to (F)receive[c] such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
Diotrephes and Demetrius
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, (G)prating[d] against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
11 Beloved, (H)do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. (I)He who does good is of God, [e]but he who does evil has not seen (J)God.
12 Demetrius (K)has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also [f]bear witness, (L)and you know that our testimony is true.
Farewell Greeting
13 (M)I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.
Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.
Footnotes
- 3 John 1:4 NU the truth
- 3 John 1:5 NU and especially for
- 3 John 1:8 NU support
- 3 John 1:10 talking nonsense
- 3 John 1:11 NU, M omit but
- 3 John 1:12 testify
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
