Christ Is Our Advocate

2 ^(A)My little children, I am ^(B)writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(C)we have an ^[a](D)Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

¹² I am writing to you, ^(A)little children, because ^(B)your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name.

¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him ^(A)who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because ^(B)you have overcome ^(C)the evil one. I have written to you, children, because ^(D)you know the Father.

²⁸ Now, ^(A)little children, remain in Him, so that when He ^(B)appears, we may have ^(C)confidence and ^(D)not ^[a]draw back from Him in shame ^[b]at His ^(E)coming.

⁴ You are from God, ^(A)little children, and ^(B)have overcome them; because ^(C)greater is He who is in you than ^(D)he who is in the world.

¹³ Now in the same way in ^(A)exchange—I am speaking as to ^(B)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

^14 [a]As a result, we are ^(A)no longer to be children, ^(B)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by ^(C)craftiness ^[b]in ^(D)deceitful scheming;

⁷ But we ^[a]proved to be ^[b](A)gentle ^[c]among you. ^(B)As a nursing mother ^[d]tenderly cares for her own children,

¹⁴ As ^[a](A)obedient children, do not ^[b](B)be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ^(C)ignorance,