The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning,^(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,^(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched^(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared;^(D) we have seen it and testify to it,^(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,^(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,^(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.^{(H) 4} We write this^(I) to make our^[a] joy complete.^(J)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

⁵ This is the message we have heard^(K) from him and declare to you: God is light;^(L) in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,^(M) we lie and do not live out the truth.^{(N) 7} But if we walk in the light,^(O) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[b] sin.^(P)

⁸ If we claim to be without sin,^(Q) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.^{(R) 9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins^(S) and purify us from all unrighteousness.^{(T) 10} If we claim we have not sinned,^(U) we make him out to be a liar^(V) and his word is not in us.^(W)

⁷ Dear children,^(A) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(B) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^{(C) 8} The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(D) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(E) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^{(F) 9} No one who is born of God^(G) will continue to sin,^(H) because God’s seed^(I) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God^(J) are and who the children of the devil^(K) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love^(L) their brother and sister.^(M)