1 John 2
Expanded Bible
Jesus Is Our Helper
2 My ·dear children [L little children; C a term of endearment], I write ·this letter [L these things] to you so you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a ·helper [counselor; advocate; Rom. 8:34] in the presence of the Father—Jesus Christ, ·the One who does what is right [or the Righteous One]. 2 He ·died in our place to take away [is the atoning sacrifice/T propitiation for] our sins [C his death pays the penalty and removes God’s anger from us; 4:10; Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17], and not only our sins but the sins of ·all people [L the whole world].
3 We ·can be sure [know] that we know ·God [L him] if we ·obey [keep] his commands. 4 Anyone who says, “I know ·God [L him],” but does not ·obey [keep] ·God’s [L his] commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if someone ·obeys [keeps] ·God’s teaching [L his word], then in that person ·God’s love [or love for God] has ·truly reached its goal [been fulfilled/perfected/completed]. This is how we can be sure we are ·living in God [L in him]: 6 Whoever says that he ·lives [abides; remains] in God must ·live [L walk] as ·Jesus lived [L he walked].
The Command to Love Others
7 ·My dear friends [L Beloved], I am not writing a new command to you but an old command you have had from the beginning [3:23; John 13:34]. It is the ·teaching [L word] you have already heard. 8 But also I am writing a new command to you, ·and you can see its truth in Jesus [L which is true in him] and in you, ·because [or that] the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 Anyone who ·says [claims; C as do the false teachers; see 2:18–19], “I am in the light,” [C following God’s goodness and truthfulness] but hates a brother or sister [C fellow Christian], is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves a brother or sister ·lives [abides; remains] in the light and ·will not cause anyone to stumble in his faith [or he will not stumble in his faith; L there is no cause of stumbling in him; C the “stumbling” may be either by apostasy or sin; John 6:61; 16:1; Rom. 14:13; Rev. 2:14]. 11 But whoever hates a brother or sister is in darkness, ·lives [L walks] in darkness, and does not know where to go, because the darkness has ·made that person blind [L blinded his eyes].
12 I write to you, dear children [2:1],
because your sins are forgiven ·through Christ [L on account of his name; C the name represents the person].
13 I write to you, fathers [C probably senior members of the congregation],
·because [or that] you know the One who existed from the beginning [C Christ; John 1:1].
I write to you, young people,
·because [or that] you have ·defeated [conquered; overcome] the Evil One.
14 I ·write [or have written] to you, children,
·because [or that] you ·know [have come to know] the Father.
I ·write [or have written] to you, fathers,
·because [or that] you ·know [have come to know] the One who existed from the beginning [2:13].
I ·write [or have written] to you, young people,
·because [or that] you are strong;
the ·teaching [L word] of God ·lives [abides; remains] in you,
and you have ·defeated [conquered; overcome] the Evil One.
15 Do not love the world or the things ·in [associated with] the world. If you love the world, the love ·of [or for] the Father is not in you [James 4:4]. 16 [L For] ·These are the ways of [All that is in/associated with] the world: ·wanting to please our sinful selves [L the desire/lust of the flesh], ·wanting the sinful things we see [L the desire/lust of the eyes], and ·being too proud of what we have [L the pride of life/possessions]. None of these come from the Father, but all of them come from the world. 17 The world and ·everything that people want in it [L its desire/lust] are passing away [1 Cor. 7:31], but the person who does ·what God wants [the will of God] ·lives [abides; remains] forever.
Reject the Enemies of Christ
18 My dear children [2:1], ·these are the last days [L it is the last hour; C suggesting urgency, though not claiming the end was near]. [L Just as] You have heard that the ·enemy of Christ [L antichrist] is coming, and now many ·enemies of Christ [L antichrists; C false teachers; 2:22; 2 John 7] are already here. This is how we know that ·these are the last days [L it is the last hour]. 19 ·These enemies of Christ were in our fellowship, but they left us [L They went out from us; C probably to form a rival fellowship]. They never really belonged to us [L But they were not of us]; [L For] if they had been a part of us, they would have ·stayed [remained; abided] with us. But they left, ·and this shows [or so that it would be shown] that none of them really belonged to us.
20 You have the ·gift [L anointing; C probably the Holy Spirit and/or the spiritual gift of the Word of God applied to their hearts; v. 24; 1 Sam. 16:13; Is. 61:1; John 16:13; 2 Cor. 1:21–22] that the Holy One gave you [L from the Holy One; C a reference to God the Father (Ps. 71:22) or more likely Jesus Christ (Mark 1:24; John 6:69)], so you all ·know the truth[a] [or have knowledge; L know]. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth but because you do know the truth. And you know that no lie comes from the truth.
22 Who is the liar? It is the person who ·does not accept [denies; repudiates] Jesus as the ·Christ [Messiah; Anointed One]. This is the ·enemy of Christ [L antichrist]: the person who ·does not accept [denies; repudiates] the Father and ·his [the] Son. 23 Whoever ·does not accept [denies; repudiates] the Son does not have the Father. But whoever ·confesses [acknowledges; accepts] the Son has the Father, too.
24 [L As for you] Be sure you ·continue to follow [abide/remain in] ·the teaching [L what] you heard from the beginning [C when they first became Christians; 1 Tim. 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13; Titus 1:9; 2 Pet. 3:2; Jude 17, 20]. If you ·continue to follow [abide/remain in] what you heard from the beginning, you will [L also; indeed] ·stay [abide; remain] in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is ·what the Son [L the promise which he himself] promised to us—·life forever [eternal life; 1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Tim. 1:1].
26 I ·am writing [or have written] ·this letter [L these things] about those people who are ·trying to lead you the wrong way [deceiving you; leading you astray]. 27 [L As for you] ·Christ gave you a special gift that is still in you [L The anointing that you received from him abides/remains in you; 2:20], so you do not need ·any other teacher [L anyone to teach you; Jer. 31:34]. [L But just as] His ·gift [L anointing] teaches you about everything, and it is true, not false. So ·continue to live in Christ, as his gift taught you [L just as he taught you, abide/remain in him].
28 ·Yes [Now], my dear children [2:1], ·live [abide; remain] in him so that when ·Christ comes back [L he appears/is revealed], we can be ·without fear [confident] and not be ashamed [L of him] ·in his presence [at his coming]. 29 ·Since [If] you know that ·Christ [L he] is righteous, you know that all who ·do right [practice righteousness] ·are God’s children [L have been born of/begotten by him].
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:20 you … truth Some Greek copies read “so you know all things.”
1 Jan 2
Haitian Creole Version
2 ¶ Pitit mwen yo, m'ap ekri nou lèt sa a pou nou pa fè peche. Men, si yon moun rive fè peche, nou gen yon avoka k'ap plede pou nou bò kot Papa a: Se Jezikri, moun ki te mache dwat devan Bondye a.
2 Paske, Jezikri te ofri tèt li tankou bèt yo ofri bay Bondye, pou Bondye te ka padonnen peche nou yo, pa peche pa nou yo ase, men peche tout moun tou.
3 ¶ Si nou fè sa Bondye mande nou fè, lè sa a nou mèt sèten nou konnen li.
4 Lè yon moun di: mwen menm, mwen konn Bondye, epi pou anmenmtan an li pa fè sa Bondye mande l' fè a, moun sa a se yon mantò. Verite a pa nan li.
5 Men, moun ki obeyi pawòl Bondye a, se moun sa a ki konmanse renmen Bondye tout bon vre. Men ki jan nou ka konnen nou fè yonn ak Bondye:
6 Lè yon moun di li fè yonn ak Bondye, se pou l' viv tankou Jezi te viv la.
7 ¶ Mezanmi, se pa yon kòmandman tou nèf m'ap ban nou nan lèt sa a. Se menm ansyen kòmandman yo te ban nou depi nan konmansman an. Ansyen kòmandman sa a, se menm pawòl nou te tande deja a.
8 Men, nan yon sans, se yon kòmandman tou nèf m'ap ban nou la a. Nou wè kòmandman sa a se yon bagay k'ap aji tout bon nan lavi Kris la ak nan lavi pa nou tou, paske fènwa a ap pase, limyè tout bon an gen tan ap klere.
9 Moun ki di yo nan limyè epi pou anmenmtan yo rayi frè yo, moun konsa nan fènwa toujou.
10 Se moun ki renmen frè yo ki nan limyè a. Konsa, pa gen anyen nan yo ki ka fè yon lòt tonbe nan peche.
11 Men, moun ki rayi frè yo, yo nan fènwa toujou. Y'ap mache nan fènwa, yo pa konnen kote yo prale, paske fènwa a rann yo avèg.
12 ¶ Timoun mwen yo, m'ap ekri nou paske Bondye padonnen peche nou yo poutèt Jezikri.
13 M'ap ekri nou, nou menm granmoun, paske nou konnen moun ki la depi nan konmansman an. M'ap ekri nou, nou menm jennmoun, paske nou kraze dyab la. M'ap ekri nou, nou menm timoun, paske nou konn Papa a.
14 M'ap ekri nou, nou menm granmoun, paske nou konnen moun ki la depi nan konmansman an. M'ap ekri nou, nou menm jennmoun, paske nou gen anpil fòs: nou kenbe pawòl Bondye a nan kè nou, nou kraze dyab la.
15 Pa renmen lemonn, ni anyen ki soti nan lemonn. Si yon moun renmen lemonn, li pa gen renmen pou Papa a nan kè li.
16 Bagay ki soti nan lemonn se egzijans lachè, se gwo tanta, se lògèy k'ap vire tèt moun lè yo gen anpil byen sou latè. Tou sa pa soti nan Papa a. Se nan lemonn sa soti.
17 Se pase lemonn ap pase, ansanm ak tou sa moun jwenn ladan l' yo ta vle genyen. Men, moun ki fè sa Bondye vle, y'ap viv pou tout tan.
18 ¶ Pitit mwen yo, dènye jou a pa lwen rive. Nou tande yo te di nou moun k'ap goumen ak Kris la gen pou vini. Men koulye a, se yon bann moun ki kanpe pou konbat Kris la. Se sa ki fè nou konnen dènye jou a pa lwen rive ankò.
19 Moun sa yo pa t' avèk nou tout bon, se poutèt sa yo kite nou. Si yo te avèk nou tout bon, yo ta toujou rete la avèk nou. Men, yo kite nou pou tout moun ka wè aklè yo yonn pa t' avèk nou tout bon.
20 ¶ Pou nou menm, nou te resevwa Sentespri Kris la te voye sou nou an, konsa nou tout nou konn verite a.
21 Si m'ap ekri nou lèt sa a, se pa paske nou pa konn verite a non. Men, okontrè, se paske nou konnen li. Paske nou konnen pa gen manti ki ka soti nan verite a.
22 Kilès k'ap bay manti la a? Se moun ki di Jezi pa Kris la. Moun sa a, se goumen l'ap goumen ak Kris la. Li voye ni Papa a ni Pitit la jete.
23 Moun ki voye Pitit la jete, li voye Papa a jete tou. Moun ki rekonèt Pitit la, li rekonèt Papa a tou.
24 Se poutèt sa, pawòl nou te tande depi nan konmansman an, kenbe li nan kè nou. Si nou kenbe sa nou te tande depi nan konmansman an nan kè nou, n'ap toujou fè yonn ak Papa a ansanm ak Pitit la.
25 Men sa Jezikri te pwomèt l'ap ban nou an: se lavi ki p'ap janm fini an.
26 M'ap ekri nou tou sa poutèt moun k'ap chache twonpe nou yo.
27 Pou nou menm, Kris la te voye Sentespri a sou nou. Toutotan Sentespri a nan kè nou, nou pa bezwen pesonn moutre nou anyen, paske Sentespri a ap moutre nou tout bagay. Sa l'ap moutre nou an se verite, se pa manti. Se poutèt sa, ann fè sa Sentespri a ap moutre nou, ann toujou fè yonn ak Kris la.
28 ¶ Wi, pitit mwen yo, ann toujou fè yonn ak Kris la. Konsa, lè Kris la va parèt, n'a gen konfyans. Wi, jou la vini an, nou p'ap wont devan l', yo p'ap kapab voye nou jete byen lwen li.
29 Nou konnen Kris la se yon moun ki te mache dwat devan Bondye. Se pou nou konnen tou, tout moun ki fè sa ki dwat devan Bondye se pitit Bondye yo ye.
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