²⁰ Surely ^(A)there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

^8 (A)If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and ^(B)the truth is not in us. ^9 (C)If we confess our sins, he is ^(D)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and ^(E)to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, ^(F)we make him a liar, and ^(G)his word is not in us.

Christ Our Advocate

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, ^(H)we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ^2 (I)He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(J)also for the sins of the whole world. ³ And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we ^(K)keep his commandments. ⁴ Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments ^(L)is a liar, and ^(M)the truth is not in him, ⁵ but whoever ^(N)keeps his word, in him truly ^(O)the love of God is perfected. ^(P)By this we may know that we are in him: ⁶ whoever says he ^(Q)abides in him ^(R)ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

¹⁷ For ^(A)the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, ^(B)to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells ^(A)in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. ^19 (B)For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

⁴⁶ “If they sin against you—^(A)for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive ^(B)to the land of the enemy, far off or near,