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^[a] 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.

Jesus and John the Baptist

²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized.^{[a] 23} John also was baptizing at Ae′non near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized. ²⁴ For John had not yet been put in prison.^[b]

²⁵ Now a discussion arose between John’s disciples and a Jew over purifying. ²⁶ And they came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” ²⁷ John answered, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. ²⁹ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”^[c]