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I Am Writing To You Because of What Has Already Happened In Your Life

12 I am writing to you, little-children[a], because your sins have been forgiven you for-the-sake-of His name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One from the beginning. I am writing to you, young-men, because you have overcome the evil one.

I Wrote To You Because of Who And What You Already Know

14 I wrote[b] to you, children, because you have known the Father. I wrote to you, fathers, because you have known the One from the beginning. I wrote to you, young-men, because you are strong ones, and the word of God is abiding in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:12 little children... fathers... young-men. Some think John is referring to all Christians from three viewpoints; others, that ‘little children’ refers to all Christians (as elsewhere in the letter), who are then divided into two groups; others, that three groups are intended. In the last two views, some think the groups represent stages of spiritual growth; others, tenure as a Christian; others, physical age.
  2. 1 John 2:14 John may mean ‘wrote’ from the readers viewpoint when they receive the letter, ‘writing’ (v 12-13) from his viewpoint as he writes; or, ‘wrote’ what he has already written, ‘writing’ the whole letter. Some think the change in tense is merely stylistic.

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