²⁰ I have been ^(A)crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh ^(B)I live by faith in the Son of God, ^(C)who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The Test of Knowing Christ

2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(A)we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And ^(B)He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(C)also for the whole world.

The Test of Knowing Him

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a ^(D)liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But ^(E)whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God ^[a]is perfected ^(F)in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ^6 (G)He who says he abides in Him ^(H)ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

^7 [b]Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had ^(I)from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard ^[c]from the beginning. ⁸ Again, ^(J)a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, ^(K)because the darkness is passing away, and ^(L)the true light is already shining.

^9 (M)He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ^10 (N)He who loves his brother abides in the light, and ^(O)there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who ^(P)hates his brother is in darkness and ^(Q)walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love ^[a]his brother abides in death. ^15 (A)Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that ^(B)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love

^16 (C)By this we know love, ^(D)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But ^(E)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

¹⁸ My little children, ^(F)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.