1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.4We write this to make our[1] joy complete.
Light and darkness, sin and forgiveness
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.6If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[2] sin.8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
1 John 1
English Standard Version
The Word of Life
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— (Lu 24:39; Joh 1:1; Joh 1:14; Joh 19:35; Joh 20:27; Ac 4:20; 2Pe 1:16; 1Jo 2:13; 1Jo 4:14)2the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— (Joh 1:4; Joh 11:25; Joh 14:6; Joh 15:27; Ro 16:26; 1Ti 3:16; 1Jo 1:1; 1Jo 3:5; 1Jo 3:8)3that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (Joh 17:21; 1Co 1:9; 1Jo 1:1; 1Jo 2:24)4And we are writing these things so that our[1] joy may be complete. (Joh 15:11; Joh 16:24)
Walking in the Light
5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (Joh 4:24; Jas 1:17; 1Jo 3:11; 1Jo 4:8)6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (Joh 3:21; Joh 12:35; 2Co 6:14; 1Jo 2:11)7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (Ps 104:2; Isa 2:5; Eph 1:7; 1Ti 6:16; Heb 9:14; 1Pe 1:19; Re 5:9; Re 7:14; Re 12:11)8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (Job 15:14; Jer 2:35; Jas 3:2; 1Jo 2:4)9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Ps 32:5; Ps 51:3; Ps 143:1; Pr 28:13; Ro 3:26; 1Jo 1:7)10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (Joh 5:38; Joh 8:37; 1Jo 5:10)