1 John 2
Living Bible
2 My little children, I am telling you this so that you will stay away from sin. But if you sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. His name is Jesus Christ, the one who is all that is good and who pleases God completely. 2 He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon himself and brought us into fellowship with God; and he is the forgiveness for our sins,[a] and not only ours but all the world’s.
3 And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By looking within ourselves: are we really trying to do what he wants us to?
4 Someone may say, “I am a Christian; I am on my way to heaven; I belong to Christ.” But if he doesn’t do what Christ tells him to, he is a liar. 5 But those who do what Christ tells them to will learn to love God more and more. That is the way to know whether or not you are a Christian. 6 Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did.
7 Dear brothers, I am not writing out a new rule for you to obey, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the start. You have heard it all before. 8 Yet it is always new, and works for you just as it did for Christ; and as we obey this commandment, to love one another, the darkness in our lives disappears and the new light of life in Christ shines in.
9 Anyone who says he is walking in the light of Christ but dislikes his fellow man is still in darkness. 10 But whoever loves his fellow man is “walking in the light” and can see his way without stumbling around in darkness and sin. 11 For he who dislikes his brother is wandering in spiritual darkness and doesn’t know where he is going, for the darkness has made him blind so that he cannot see the way.
12 I am writing these things to all of you, my little children, because your sins have been forgiven in the name of Jesus our Savior. 13 I am saying these things to you older men because you really know Christ, the one who has been alive from the beginning. And you young men, I am talking to you because you have won your battle with Satan. And I am writing to you younger boys and girls because you, too, have learned to know God our Father.
14 And so I say to you fathers who know the eternal God, and to you young men who are strong with God’s Word in your hearts, and have won your struggle against Satan: 15 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; 16 for all these worldly things, these evil desires—the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance—these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. 17 And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.
18 Dear children, this world’s last hour has come. You have heard about the Antichrist who is coming—the one who is against Christ—and already many such persons have appeared. This makes us all the more certain that the end of the world is near. 19 These “against-Christ” people used to be members of our churches, but they never really belonged with us or else they would have stayed. When they left us it proved that they were not of us at all.
20 But you are not like that, for the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you know the truth. 21 So I am not writing to you as to those who need to know the truth, but I warn you as those who can discern the difference between true and false.
22 And who is the greatest liar? The one who says that Jesus is not Christ. Such a person is antichrist, for he does not believe in God the Father and in his Son. 23 For a person who doesn’t believe in Christ, God’s Son, can’t have God the Father either. But he who has Christ, God’s Son, has God the Father also.
24 So keep on believing what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will always be in close fellowship with both God the Father and his Son. 25 And he himself has promised us this: eternal life.
26 These remarks of mine about the Antichrist are pointed at those who would dearly love to blindfold you and lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, in your hearts, so that you don’t need anyone to teach you what is right. For he teaches you all things, and he is the Truth, and no liar; and so, just as he has said, you must live in Christ, never to depart from him.
28 And now, my little children, stay in happy fellowship with the Lord so that when he comes you will be sure that all is well and will not have to be ashamed and shrink back from meeting him. 29 Since we know that God is always good and does only right, we may rightly assume that all those who do right are his children.
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:2 he is the forgiveness for our sins, or “he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 2
King James Version
2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love 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 passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby 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 they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide 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, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1 John 2
English Standard Version
Christ Our Advocate
2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, (A)we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 (B)He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but (C)also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we (D)keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments (E)is a liar, and (F)the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever (G)keeps his word, in him truly (H)the love of God is perfected. (I)By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he (J)abides in him (K)ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
The New Commandment
7 Beloved, I am writing you (L)no new commandment, but (M)an old commandment (N)that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is (O)a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because[a] (P)the darkness is passing away and (Q)the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and (R)hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him[b] there is no (S)cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and (T)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 (U)your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know (V)him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because (W)you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because (X)you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know (Y)him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because (Z)you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15 (AA)Do not love the world or the things in the world. (AB)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—(AC)the desires of the flesh and (AD)the desires of the eyes and pride of life[c]—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And (AE)the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18 Children, (AF)it is the last hour, and as you have heard that (AG)antichrist is coming, so now (AH)many antichrists have come. (AI)Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 (AJ)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for (AK)if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, (AL)that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been (AM)anointed by (AN)the Holy One, and (AO)you all have knowledge.[d] 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but (AP)he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is (AQ)the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 (AR)No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let (AS)what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then (AT)you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us[e]—(AU)eternal life.
26 I write these things to you about (AV)those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But (AW)the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and (AX)you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and (AY)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 (AZ)when he appears (BA)we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his (BB)coming. 29 If you know that (BC)he is righteous, you may be sure that (BD)everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:8 Or that
- 1 John 2:10 Or it
- 1 John 2:16 Or pride in possessions
- 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts you know everything
- 1 John 2:25 Some manuscripts you
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
