Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

If We Are Loving One Another, We Are Abiding In The Light

⁷ Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old^[a] commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard. ⁸ Yet-again I am writing a new^[b] commandment to you, which^[c] is true^[d] in Him and in you, because^[e] the darkness is passing-away and the true Light^[f] is already shining. ⁹ The one claiming to be in the light and hating his brother is in the darkness until now. ¹⁰ The one loving his brother is abiding in the light, and there is no cause-of-falling in him. ¹¹ But the one hating his brother is in the darkness, and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness blinded his eyes.

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

¹² I am writing to you, little-children^[g], 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^[h] 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.

So Don’t Love The World Or Pursue Its Desires. The One Doing God’s Will Abides Forever

¹⁵ Do not be loving the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone is loving the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ Because everything in the world— the desire of ^[i] the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the boastful-pride of life^[j]— is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing-away, and its desire. But the one doing the will of God abides forever.