1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (Ro 8:34; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 7:25)2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (Joh 1:29; Joh 4:42; Joh 11:51; Joh 12:32; Ro 3:25; 2Co 5:18; Col 1:20; 1Jo 4:10; 1Jo 4:14)3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. (Joh 14:15; Joh 15:10)4Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, (Joh 8:44; 1Jo 1:8)5but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: (Joh 14:23; 1Jo 3:24; 1Jo 4:12; 1Jo 4:13; 1Jo 5:2; 1Jo 5:3)6whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (Mt 11:29; Joh 15:4; Joh 15:7)
The New Commandment
7Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. (Le 19:18; 1Jo 2:24; 1Jo 3:11; 2Jo 1:5)8At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because[1] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (Joh 1:9; Joh 8:12; Joh 13:34; Ro 13:12; Eph 5:8; 1Th 5:4)9Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (Tit 3:3; 1Jo 3:14; 1Jo 4:20)10Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him[2] there is no cause for stumbling. (Pr 4:19; Joh 11:10; 2Pe 1:10)11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1Jo 1:6)12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (Lu 24:47; Ac 10:43; Ac 13:38)13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. (Joh 14:7; Eph 6:10; 1Jo 1:1; 1Jo 5:4)14I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is 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 the evil one. (1Jo 2:13)
Do Not Love the World
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (Ro 12:2; 2Ti 4:10; Jas 4:4)16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[3]—is not from the Father but is from the world. (Ec 4:8; Ec 5:11; Ro 13:14; Eph 2:3; 1Pe 4:2; 2Pe 2:18)17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1Co 7:31)
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. (Mt 24:5; Mt 24:24; 1Ti 4:1; 2Ti 3:1; Jas 5:3; 2Pe 3:3; 1Jo 2:22; 1Jo 4:1; 1Jo 4:3; 2Jo 1:7; Jud 1:18)19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (De 13:13; Joh 17:12; Ac 20:30; 1Co 11:19)20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.[4] (Mr 1:24; Joh 14:26; 2Co 1:21; 1Jo 2:27)21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.22Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. (1Jo 2:18; 1Jo 4:3; 2Jo 1:7)23No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. (1Jo 4:15; 1Jo 5:1; 2Jo 1:9)24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. (Joh 14:23; 1Jo 1:3; 1Jo 3:11; 2Jo 1:6)25And this is the promise that he made to us[5]—eternal life. (Joh 17:2)26I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. (1Jo 3:7; 2Jo 1:7)27But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (Jer 31:34; Joh 14:17; Heb 8:11; 1Jo 2:20)
1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Love and hatred for fellow believers
3We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.4Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.5But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[1] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:6whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[2] is still in the darkness.10Anyone who loves their brother and sister[3] lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.11But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.
Reasons for writing
12I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.14I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
On not loving the world
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[4] is not in them.16For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world.17The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives for ever.
Warnings against denying the Son
18Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.[5]21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.22Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist – denying the Father and the Son.23No-one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.24As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.25And this is what he promised us – eternal life.26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him.
God’s children and sin
28And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.