Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but that old commandment that you heard from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you heard from the beginning. ⁸ Again, a new commandment I write to you, a thing that is true in him and also in you. For the darkness is past and the true light now shines. ⁹ He who says that he is in the light and yet hates his brother, is in darkness even until this time. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion of evil in him. ¹¹ He who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he goes because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹² Babes, I write to you because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. ¹³ I write to you fathers because you know him who was from the beginning. I write to you young men because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you little children because you know the Father. ¹⁴ I write to you fathers because you know him who was from the beginning. I write to you young men because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome that wicked one.

¹⁵ See that you love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of goods) is not of the Father, but of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is vanishing away, and the desires of it. But he who fulfils the will of God endures forever.