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Everyone pas who ho believes pisteuō that hoti Jesus Iēsous is eimi the ho Christ Christos has been born gennaō of ek · ho God theos, and kai everyone pas who ho loves agapaō the ho father gennaō loves agapaō · kai · ho his autos child gennaō. By en this houtos we know ginōskō that hoti we love agapaō the ho children teknon of ho God theos: whenever hotan we love agapaō · ho God theos and kai obey poieō · ho his autos commandments entolē. For gar this houtos is eimi the ho love agapē of ho God theos: that hina we keep tēreō · ho his autos commandments entolē. And kai · ho his autos commandments entolē are eimi not ou burdensome barys, because hoti everyone pas who ho has been born gennaō of ek · ho God theos conquers nikaō the ho world kosmos. And kai this houtos is eimi the ho victorious power nikē that ho has conquered nikaō the ho world kosmos · ho our hēmeis faith pistis. Who tis · de is eimi it that ho conquers nikaō the ho world kosmos, but ei mē the ho one who believes pisteuō that hoti Jesus Iēsous is eimi the ho Son hyios of ho God theos?

This houtos is eimi the ho one who came erchomai by dia water hydōr and kai blood haima Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos; not ou by en · ho water hydōr only monon but alla by en · ho water hydōr and kai · ho blood haima. And kai the ho Spirit pneuma is eimi the ho one who testifies martyreō, because hoti the ho Spirit pneuma is eimi the ho truth alētheia. For hoti there are eimi three treis that ho testify martyreō: the ho Spirit pneuma and kai the ho water hydōr and kai the ho blood haima; and kai the ho three treis are eimi in eis · ho accord heis. If ei we receive lambanō the ho testimony martyria of ho men anthrōpos, the ho testimony martyria of ho God theos is eimi greater megas, because hoti this houtos is eimi the ho testimony martyria of ho God theos that hoti he has borne martyreō concerning peri · ho his autos Son hyios. 10 The ho one who believes pisteuō in eis the ho Son hyios of ho God theos has echō the ho testimony martyria in en himself heautou; the ho one who does not believe pisteuō · ho God theos has made poieō him autos out to be a liar pseustēs, because hoti he has not ou believed pisteuō in eis the ho testimony martyria that hos God theos has borne martyreō · ho concerning peri · ho his autos Son hyios. 11 And kai this houtos is eimi the ho testimony martyria: God theos gave didōmi us hēmeis eternal aiōnios life zōē, · ho and kai this houtos · ho life zōē is eimi in en · ho his autos Son hyios. 12 The ho one who has echō the ho Son hyios has echō · ho life zōē; the ho one who does not have echō the ho Son hyios of ho God theos does echō not ou have echō · ho life zōē.

13 I am writing graphō these things houtos to you hymeis so that hina you may know oida that hoti you have echō eternal aiōnios life zōē—you who ho believe pisteuō in eis the ho name onoma of the ho Son hyios of ho God theos. 14 And kai this houtos is eimi the ho confidence parrēsia we have echō as we approach pros him autos: that hoti if ean we ask aiteō anything tis according to kata · ho his autos will thelēma, he hears akouō us hēmeis. 15 And kai if ean we know oida that hoti he hears akouō us hēmeis regarding whatever hos we ask aiteō, we know oida that hoti we have echō the ho requests aitēma that hos we have asked aiteō of apo him autos. 16 If ean someone tis sees · ho his autos brother adelphos committing hamartanō a sin hamartia that does not lead to pros death thanatos, he should ask aiteō and kai God will give didōmi him autos life zōē to those ho whose sins hamartanō do not lead to pros death thanatos. There is eimi sin hamartia that leads to pros death thanatos; I do legō not ou say legō that hina he should pray erōtaō about peri that ekeinos. 17 All pas wrongdoing adikia is eimi sin hamartia, but kai there is eimi sin hamartia that does not ou lead to pros death thanatos.

18 We know oida that hoti everyone pas who ho has been born gennaō of ek · ho God theos does not ou continue to sin hamartanō, but alla the ho one who was born gennaō of ek · ho God theos protects tēreō him autos and kai the ho evil one ponēros will not ou harm haptō him autos. 19 We know oida that hoti we are eimi children of ek · ho God theos, and kai that the ho whole holos world kosmos lies keimai in en the power of the ho evil one ponēros. 20 And de we know oida that hoti the ho Son hyios of ho God theos has come hēkō and kai has given didōmi us hēmeis discernment dianoia so that hina we may know ginōskō him ho who is true alēthinos; and kai we are eimi in en him ho who is true alēthinos, in en · ho his autos Son hyios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. This one houtos is eimi the ho true alēthinos God theos and kai eternal aiōnios life zōē.

21 Little children teknion, keep phylassō yourselves heautou from apo · ho idols eidōlon.

Believe in Jesus Christ

Everyone who believes that Jesus is God's Messiah has become a child of God. And if we love God, our Father, we will love his other children too. How do we know that we love God's children? We know it when we love God and we do what he tells us to do. Because, if we really love God, we will obey his commands. And those commands are not difficult for us to obey. Because we have become God's children, we can live in a good way. We can refuse to live like people who belong to this world. We are able to win against the wrong ways of this world because we trust Jesus Christ. It is only people who believe that Jesus is the Son of God who can do that. Only they can win against the wrong ways of this world.

Jesus Christ is the man that God sent into the world. John baptized Jesus in water. When Jesus died, his blood poured out. God showed that Jesus is his Son with the water and with the blood. It was not only with the water of Jesus' baptism. It was also with the blood of his death. God's Holy Spirit also shows us that Jesus is God's Son. The Holy Spirit always says what is true. So there are three things that show us clearly that Jesus came from God. Those things are the Holy Spirit, the water of Jesus' baptism and the blood of his death on the cross. These all show us the same thing, that Jesus came from God.[a]

We believe people who tell us about things that they know. So we can believe even more what God says. He has told us what is true about his Son. So we should believe his message.

10 Anyone who believes in Jesus, the Son of God, will know that what God says is true. But anyone who does not believe God is saying that God tells lies. He does not believe the message that God has told us clearly about his Son. 11 This is what God has told us: God has given us life with him that never ends. We receive this life when we believe in his Son, Jesus. 12 So whoever belongs to the Son has this true life. But anyone who does not belong to the Son of God does not have this true life.

Christians have true life with God

13 I have written these things to you who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I want you to know that you have true life with God for ever. 14 Also, we can trust God to help us when we turn to him. We know that he will hear us. When we ask for anything that he wants us to have, he listens to us. 15 Since we know that, we also know that God will give to us the things that we ask for. It is like we have already received those things from him.

16 If you see that another Christian is doing something bad, this is what you should do. If it is a sin that does not cause death, pray that God will help him. Then God will help that person to live for ever with him. That is for a sin which does not cause death. But there is a sin that causes death. If another Christian does that, I am not saying that you should pray for God to help that person. 17 Any wrong thing that a person does is sin. But not all sins cause death.[b]

18 Nobody who has become a child of God continues to do wrong things. Instead, the Son of God keeps him safe.[c] Satan cannot do anything against a child of God. 19 We know that we belong to God. We know that Satan rules all the people who belong to this world. 20 We also know that the Son of God has come into the world. He has helped us to understand what is true. As a result, we know the only true God. We live together with this true God, because we belong to his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God. He is the one who gives us life with God for ever.

21 My little children, be careful to keep away from idols.[d]

Footnotes

  1. 5:8 When John baptized Jesus, God spoke from heaven. He said, ‘This is my Son.’ See Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35. When Jesus died on the cross, he did that as a sacrifice to save us from our sins. His blood was the blood of a sacrifice offered to God.
  2. 5:17 ‘A sin that causes death’ is when someone does a bad thing that takes him completely away from life with God. A sin like that causes a person to die in their spirit, so that they can no longer live with God for ever.
  3. 5:18 Or: ‘God keeps his children safe.’
  4. 5:21 John is writing this letter to help Christians to know God better. He wants them to be sure that they have true life with God. If we trust in Jesus as the Son of God, we become God's children. God will hear us when we pray to him. He will give us the good things that he chooses for us. God will keep us safe from the power of Satan. He will help us to do what is good, so that we do not continue to do wrong things.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.