Book of Common Prayer

God’s new commandment

³ This is how we are sure that we have known him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ Anyone who says, “I know him,” but doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar. People like that have no truth in them. ⁵ But if anyone keeps his word, God’s love is truly made complete in such a person. This is how we are sure that we are in him: ⁶ anyone who says, “I abide in him,” ought to behave in the same way that he behaved.

⁷ My beloved ones, I am not writing a new command to you, but an old command which you have had from the very beginning. The old command is the word which you heard. ⁸ Again, however, I am writing a new command to you: it is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. ⁹ Anyone who says, “I am in the light,” while hating another family member, is still in darkness up to this very moment. ¹⁰ Anyone who loves another family member abides in the light, and there is no cause of offense in such a person. ¹¹ Anyone who hates another family member is in the darkness, and walks about in the darkness. Such people have no idea where they are going, because the darkness has blinded their eyes.

The light of the world

¹² Jesus spoke to them again.

“I am the light of the world,” he said. “People who follow me won’t go around in the dark; they’ll have the light of life!”

¹³ “You’re giving evidence in your own case!” said the Pharisees. “Your evidence is false!”

¹⁴ “Even if I do give evidence about myself,” replied Jesus to them, “my evidence is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going to. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going to. ¹⁵ You are judging in merely human terms; I don’t judge anyone. ¹⁶ But even if I do judge, my judgment is true, because I’m not a lone voice; I have on my side the father who sent me. ¹⁷ It is written in your law that the evidence of two people is true. ¹⁸ I’m giving evidence about myself, and the father who sent me is giving evidence about me.”

¹⁹ “Where is your father?” they said to him.

“You don’t know me,” replied Jesus, “and you don’t know my father! If you had known me, you would have known my father as well.”