1 John 2
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 2
1 My dear children,
I am writing this to you
so that you may avoid committing sin.
However, if anyone does sin,
we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
2 He is himself the sacrifice for our sins—
and not only for our sins
but also for the sins of the whole world.
The Commandment of Love[a]
3 Now we may be certain that we know him
if we obey his commandments.
4 Whoever says, “I know him,”
but does not keep his commandments,
is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.[b]
5 However, the love of God is truly perfected
in the one who obeys his word.
This is how we can be certain
that we are in union with him:
6 whoever claims to abide in him
must live just as he himself lived.
7 Beloved,
I am not writing a new commandment[c] for you,
but an old commandment
that you have had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word
that you have heard.
8 And yet I am writing you a new commandment,
whose truth is in him and in you,
because the darkness is passing away
and the true light is already shining.
9 Whoever says, “I am in the light,”
yet hates his brother,
is still in the darkness.
10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light,
and there is nothing in him
to make him stumble.
11 Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness,
and he walks about in darkness.
He does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded him.
The Concupiscences of the World[d]
12 I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven
on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have known him
who has existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
14 I am writing to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have known him
who has existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
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 what is in the world.
If anyone does love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For everything that is in the world—
the concupiscence of the flesh,
the concupiscence of the eyes,
and the pride of life—
comes not from the Father
but from the world.[e]
17 And the world with all its enticements
is passing away,
but whoever does the will of God
abides forever.
Behold the Antichrist[f]
18 Dear children,
this is the last hour.
You have heard that the Antichrist was coming,
and now many antichrists have already come.[g]
Thus, we know
that it is the final hour.
19 They went out from us,
but they never really belonged to us.
If they had belonged to us,
they would have remained with us.
By departing from us,
they made it clear
that none of them belonged to us.
20 However, you have been anointed
by the Holy One,[h]
and you all have knowledge.
21 I write to you
not because you do not know the truth
but because you do know it,
and because no lie can come from the truth.
22 Who is the liar
but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
The antichrist is
anyone who denies both the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son
does not have the Father,
but whoever acknowledges the Son
has the Father also.
24 Let what you heard from the beginning
remain in you.
If what you heard from the beginning
remains in you,
then you will remain in the Son
and in the Father
25 And this is the promise he made to us:
eternal life.
26 I write these things to you
in reference to those
who seek to lead you astray.
27 But as for you,
the anointing you received from him
remains in you,
and therefore you do not need anyone
to teach you.
This same anointing
teaches you everything
and is true and not false,
so abide in him just as he taught you.
28 And now, dear children,
abide in him,
so that when he appears
we may have confidence
and not be put to shame by him
at his coming.
Children of God
Everyone Whose Life Is Righteous Has Been Born of God[i]
29 If you know that he is righteous,
you also know that everyone whose life is righteous
is born of him.
Footnotes
- 1 John 2:3 Gnostics claimed to possess a special revealed “knowledge.” But John stresses that there is a real and living knowledge of God, a true light, an authentic truth, and it is expressed in a life that is lived in accord with the commandments of God. Its great characteristic is love. New doctrines are being put forth. Christian teaching is a commandment of Jesus, which in this sense is old. Yet it is also new because it is revealed in Jesus as a fact as well as in the life of believers. In the face of everything that is without purpose or sense, faith is a ray of light, a victory over darkness, a bright dawn for the world.
- 1 John 2:4 John reiterates the testimony of Paul and James about faith and works. James said that faith without works is dead (see note on Jas 2:14-26). Paul indicated that rewards would be based on good and bad deeds (see 2 Cor 5:10; see also note on Rom 4:3). John says that Christians who do not keep the commandments of Jesus are liars and the truth is not in them. For faith in Christ without good deeds, i.e., keeping the commandments, is not authentic.
- 1 John 2:7 New commandment: see Jn 13:34f. The Biblical commandment to love was old (see Lev 19:18; also Mt 22:39-40). However, its newness is seen in (1) the new illustration of love on the Cross; (2) Christ’s exposition of the Old Testament law (see Mt 5), which appeared to be new to those who heard it; and (3) the everyday experience on the part of believers as they grow in mutual love.
- 1 John 2:12 The author addresses all with affection: “Dear children,” as he says. He wants to answer every one of them—the old as well as the young. He recalls that Christians are set free from sin, that they are the vanquishers of the power of evil, personified in the Bible as the devil, “the evil one.” This victory is attained by the action of God and not by adhering to the speculations that are being spread about. Adhering therein is the “world”—a term that refers to all that is opposed to God. The fourth Gospel had already accustomed us to this language that opposes God to the world and light to darkness. The author wishes to speak thereby of all the limitations of the human, e.g., unregulated desires, the need to possess, and the satisfaction of extravagance. In the face of this seduction that troubles every existence, believers can stand fast only by a life marked profoundly by the word of God.
- 1 John 2:16 The author here defines three great sins of worldliness: the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life. The first has to do with inordinate desire for sensuality (see Eph 2:3; 1 Pet 2:11; 2 Pet 2:10, 18). The second has to do with covetousness, which springs from the eyes and has to do with the desire for things (see Job 31:1; Ezek 23:12-17; Mt 5:27ff). The third has to do with worldly ambition, ostentation, pride and arrogance, independence of God (see Ps 10:4; Prov 16:5; Isa 13:11; Lk 1:51-52; Jas 4:6, 10; 1 Pet 3:8; 5:5).
- 1 John 2:18 New teachers have arisen proclaiming a message different from that of the Gospel of Jesus. Is this not a sign that the end is near? The circumstances that Jesus had described in this respect (see Mk 13:22; see also 2 Thes 3:4; Rev 13:12-15) suddenly appear to be present. It is at least a time of crisis. The false teachers refuse to acknowledge either Christ or the Father, and they do away with the Gospel. The author is quick to set these teachers straight: those who do not accept the Gospel are no longer in the Church in spite of all appearances. Believers should cling to the teaching they originally received, i.e., to the great ideas of Christian initiation, for what is at issue is the Word of Jesus. They have been anointed by the Holy One, that is, they are penetrated by the word and the grace of Jesus. Let them not be concerned with new words and new teachings but be alert to await the Lord’s coming.
- 1 John 2:18 Scripture distinguishes the Antichrist from many antichrists and from the spirit of the Antichrist (1 Jn 4:3). Here John is speaking of all who follow the Antichrist and imitate his evil spirit. He assumes that his readers know that a great enemy of his people will arise before Christ’s return. This enemy is the Antichrist, “the man of lawlessness” (see notes on 2 Thes 2:3b-12 and 2:3b-4) and “the beast” (Rev 13:1-10). But before his coming there will be many antichrists characterized by (1) denial of Christ’s Incarnation (see 1 Jn 4:2; 2 Jn 7) and Divinity (see 1 Jn 2:22); (2) denial of the Father (see 1 Jn 2:22); (3) nonpossession of the Father (see 1 Jn 2:23); (4) falsehoods (see 1 Jn 2:22), deceptions (see 2 Jn 7); (5) many in number (see 1 Jn 2:18); (6) nothing in common with believers (see 1 Jn 2:19).
- 1 John 2:20 Anointed by the Holy One: reference to the Spirit who has been given to the Messiah (see Isa 11:2; 61:1), and then conferred by the Messiah on believers (see 1 Jn 3:24; 4:13; 2 Cor 1:21) so as to teach them about all things (see 1 Jn 2:27; Jn 16:13f; 1 Cor 2:10, 15). As a result, the words of Jesus are “spirit and life” (Jn 6:63).
- 1 John 2:29 The author takes ideas already expressed and develops them in new ways. In ch. 1:5-7 he used the phrase “God is light”; now he expresses the new theme that “God is righteous.” God forgives human beings, bestowing upon them a condition in which they can stand before him. Here, too, it is not a question of abstract ideas but of life practices. What a bold affirmation about the Divine Sonship; what a dizzying perspective of a faith that must one day go beyond itself in the full vision of God!
约翰一书 2
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
2 我的孩子们，我写这些话给你们是为了叫你们不要犯罪。如果有人犯了罪，在父那里我们有一位护慰者，就是那位义者——耶稣基督。 2 祂为我们的罪作了赎罪祭，不只是为我们的罪，也是为全人类的罪。
3 我们若遵行上帝的命令，就知道自己认识祂。 4 若有人说“我认识祂”，却不遵行祂的命令，这人是说谎的，他心中没有真理。 5 遵行主话语的人是真正全心爱上帝的人，我们借此知道自己是在主里面。 6 所以，自称住在主里面的，就该在生活中效法基督。
新命令
7 亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我写给你们的并不是一条新命令，而是你们起初接受的旧命令，这旧命令就是你们已经听过的真道。 8 然而，我写给你们的也是新命令，在基督和你们身上都显明是真实的，因为黑暗渐渐过去，真光已经照耀出来。
9 若有人说自己在光明中，却恨他的弟兄姊妹，他就仍然活在黑暗里。 10 爱弟兄姊妹的人活在光明中，没有什么可以绊倒他[a]。 11 恨弟兄姊妹的人活在黑暗中，走在黑暗中，不知何去何从，因为黑暗弄瞎了他的眼睛。
12 孩子们，我写信给你们，因为靠着祂的名，你们的罪已经得到赦免。 13 父老们，我写信给你们，因为你们认识了从太初就存在的那位。年轻人，我写信给你们，因为你们已经战胜了那恶者。
14 孩子们，我曾写信给你们，因为你们认识了父。父老们，我曾写信给你们，因为你们认识了从太初就存在的那位。年轻人，我曾写信给你们，因为你们刚强，上帝的道常存在你们心里，并且你们战胜了那恶者。
15 不要爱世界和世上的事，因为人若爱世界，就不会再有爱父的心了。 16 凡属世界的，如肉体的私欲、眼目的私欲和今生的骄傲都不是从父那里来的，而是从世界来的。 17 这世界和其中一切的私欲都要过去，但遵守上帝旨意的人永远长存。
防备敌基督者
18 孩子们，现在是末世了。你们从前听说敌基督者要来，其实现在许多敌基督者已经出现了，由此可知，现在是末世了。 19 这些人是从我们中间出去的，但他们不属于我们。他们如果属于我们，就会留在我们当中了。他们的离去表明他们都不属于我们。
20 你们从那位圣者领受了圣灵[b]，所以你们明白真理。 21 我写信给你们不是因为你们不明白真理，而是因为你们明白真理，并且知道真理里面绝对没有谎言。 22 谁是说谎的呢？不就是那否认耶稣是基督的吗？那不承认父和子的就是敌基督者。 23 凡否认子的，也否认了父；凡承认子的，也承认了父。
24 你们务要把起初所听见的教导谨记在心，这样，你们必住在子和父里面。 25 主应许给我们的是永生。 26 以上的话是针对那些引诱你们离开正道的人写的。
顺从圣灵
27 你们既然从主领受了圣灵，圣灵又住在你们心中，就不需要其他人来教导你们，因为圣灵必会在一切事上指引你们。圣灵的教导是真实的，没有虚假，你们要按圣灵的教导住在主里面。 28 孩子们，你们要住在主里面。这样，当主显现的时候，就是祂再来的时候，我们便能坦然无惧，不会在祂面前羞愧。 29 既然你们知道主是公义的，也该知道所有按公义行事的人都是上帝的儿女。
1 John 2
EasyEnglish Bible
God forgives our sins because of Jesus' death
2 I am writing this letter to you, my friends who are like my little children. I am writing to you because I do not want you to do wrong things. But if anyone among you does something wrong, there is someone who will speak to God on our behalf. That person is Jesus Christ, who always does only what is right. He will ask our Father God to forgive you. 2 Jesus died as a sacrifice to take the punishment for our sin. Then God could forgive us. Jesus did that not only for us. He did it for all people in the world, so that God could forgive them for their sins.
3 This is how we can be sure that we know God: If we obey God's commands, we know that we belong to him. 4 Someone may say, ‘I belong to God.’ But if he does not obey God's commands, that person is telling a lie. He is not living in the way that God's true message teaches us. 5 But anyone who obeys God's message shows that he really loves God completely. So this is how we know that we belong to God. 6 If we say that we are living in God's true way, then we must live in the way that Jesus lived.[a]
God tells us to love each other
7 My friends, I am telling you to love one another. When I write this to you, I am not giving you a new rule. It is an old rule that you have had for a long time. We gave it to you when you began to obey Christ. It is the same message that you have already heard. 8 But there is something new about it. This rule has become true in the way that Christ lived. Now it has also become true in your lives. God's true message has brought light to shine in your lives. You no longer live in the dark where you do bad things. 9 A person may say that he is living in the light. But if that person hates another believer, then he is telling a lie. He is still living in the dark. 10 Anyone who loves other believers shows that he is living in the light. There is nothing that will make him turn away from God. 11 But if someone hates other believers, he is still living in a bad way. He is like someone who is walking in the dark. He cannot see where he is going. He is like a blind person. He cannot understand God's true message.[b]
12 My little children, I am writing to you because God has forgiven your sins. He has done this because of Christ.
13 You who are older, like fathers, I am writing to you because you know Christ. He has always been there, since before the world began.
You who are young men, I am writing to you because you have won against Satan.
14 Yes, my children, I have written to you because you know God, our Father.
Fathers, I have written to you because you know Christ. He was already there before the world began.
Young men, I have written to you because you are strong. You continue to obey God's message, and you have won against Satan.
15 Do not live like people who do not know God. Do not love the wrong things that belong to this world. If anyone loves those things, it shows that they do not love God, their Father. 16 What are the wrong things that belong to this world? People want to do bad things to make themselves happy. People want to have things that they see, even bad things. People want to show other people how rich they are. These ideas do not come from God, our Father. They are the thoughts of people who belong to the world. 17 One day, those people and the things that they want will not be there any longer. But those who continue to do what God wants will live for ever.
People who are against Christ
18 My children, the world will soon end.[c] You have heard that the enemy of Christ will appear. You can see that many enemies of Christ have already appeared. This shows us that the world will end soon. 19 These people used to be in our group of believers. But they left us. They never really belonged to our group. If they had been true believers, they would have remained with us. When they left us, it showed clearly that none of them really belonged to us.
20 But Christ, the Holy One, has given you the Holy Spirit. As a result, you all know what is true. 21 That is why I am writing to you. It is not because you do not yet know God's true message. I am writing to you because you do know that true message. And you can be sure that there are no lies in it.
22 Who is the one who tells the worst lies? It is anyone who says that Jesus is not the Messiah. A person like that is the enemy of Christ. He is speaking against God, the Father, and against Jesus, his Son. 23 Anyone who says that Jesus is not God's Son does not belong to the Father. But anyone who accepts Jesus as the Son of God also belongs to the Father.[d]
24 As for you, always remember the true message that you heard at the beginning. If you continue to believe that message, you will continue to live with the Son and with the Father. 25 That is the real life that continues for ever. And that is what God has promised to give to us.
26 Some people are trying to lead you away from God's true message. I am writing these things to you so that you know about these people. 27 But Christ has given the Holy Spirit to you, and he continues to help you. So you do not need people to teach you what is true. The Holy Spirit himself teaches you everything about God's message. He helps you to know what is true. He does not tell you any lies. So you must remember what he has taught you. Continue to live together with Christ.
28 Yes, my children, continue to live with Christ. Then we will not be ashamed when he returns to this world. We will not be afraid to meet him.
29 You know that Christ only does what is right. So you should know this: Everyone who continues to do what is right has become a child of God.
Footnotes
- 2:6 If we believe in Jesus Christ and we trust God, this means that we belong to God. We are united with God and with Jesus. The way that we live shows whether we are true believers.
- 2:11 John tells Christians that they must live ‘in the light’. He means that they should live in a way that God says is right.
- 2:18 John was an old man. He wrote to his readers as if they were his children.
- 2:23 Some people say that they are Christians, but they do not believe in Jesus. John tells us what true Christians believe.
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