1 John 2:1-14

English Standard Version

Christ Our Advocate

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, ^(A)we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ²^(B)He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(C)also for the sins of the whole world. ³And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we ^(D)keep his commandments. ⁴Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments ^(E)is a liar, and ^(F)the truth is not in him, ⁵but whoever ^(G)keeps his word, in him truly ^(H)the love of God is perfected. ^(I)By this we may know that we are in him: ⁶whoever says he ^(J)abides in him ^(K)ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The New Commandment

⁷Beloved, I am writing you ^(L)no new commandment, but ^(M)an old commandment ^(N)that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁸At the same time, it is ^(O)a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because^[a] ^(P)the darkness is passing away and ^(Q)the true light is already shining. ⁹Whoever says he is in the light and ^(R)hates his brother is still in darkness. ¹⁰Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him^[b] there is no ^(S)cause for stumbling. ¹¹But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and ^(T)walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹²I am writing to you, little children,
    because ^(U)your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
¹³I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know ^(V)him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
    because ^(W)you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
    because ^(X)you know the Father.
¹⁴I write to you, fathers,
    because you know ^(Y)him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
    because ^(Z)you are strong,
    and the word of God abides in you,
    and you have overcome the evil one.