1 John 1-2

English Standard Version

The Word of Life

1 ^(A)That which was ^(B)from the beginning, ^(C)which we have heard, ^(D)which we have seen with our eyes, ^(E)which we looked upon and ^(F)have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ²^(G)the life ^(H)was made manifest, and we have seen it, and ^(I)testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, ^(J)which was with the Father and ^(K)was made manifest to us— ³^(L)that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed ^(M)our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And we are writing these things so ^(N)that our^[a] joy may be complete.

Walking in the Light

⁵^(O)This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that ^(P)God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶^(Q)If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and ^(R)do not practice the truth. ⁷But ^(S)if we walk in the light, ^(T)as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and ^(U)the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸^(V)If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and ^(W)the truth is not in us. ⁹^(X)If we confess our sins, he is ^(Y)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and ^(Z)to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say we have not sinned, ^(AA)we make him a liar, and ^(AB)his word is not in us.

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, ^(AC)we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ²^(AD)He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(AE)also for the sins of the whole world. ³And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we ^(AF)keep his commandments. ⁴Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments ^(AG)is a liar, and ^(AH)the truth is not in him, ⁵but whoever ^(AI)keeps his word, in him truly ^(AJ)the love of God is perfected. ^(AK)By this we may know that we are in him: ⁶whoever says he ^(AL)abides in him ^(AM)ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The New Commandment

⁷Beloved, I am writing you ^(AN)no new commandment, but ^(AO)an old commandment ^(AP)that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁸At the same time, it is ^(AQ)a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because^[b] ^(AR)the darkness is passing away and ^(AS)the true light is already shining. ⁹Whoever says he is in the light and ^(AT)hates his brother is still in darkness. ¹⁰Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him^[c] there is no ^(AU)cause for stumbling. ¹¹But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and ^(AV)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 ^(AW)your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
¹³I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know ^(AX)him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
    because ^(AY)you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
    because ^(AZ)you know the Father.
¹⁴I write to you, fathers,
    because you know ^(BA)him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
    because ^(BB)you are strong,
    and the word of God abides in you,
    and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

¹⁵^(BC)Do not love the world or the things in the world. ^(BD)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—^(BE)the desires of the flesh and ^(BF)the desires of the eyes and pride of life^[d]—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷And ^(BG)the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Warning Concerning Antichrists

¹⁸Children, ^(BH)it is the last hour, and as you have heard that ^(BI)antichrist is coming, so now ^(BJ)many antichrists have come. ^(BK)Therefore we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹^(BL)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for ^(BM)if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, ^(BN)that it might become plain that they all are not of us. ²⁰But you have been ^(BO)anointed by ^(BP)the Holy One, and ^(BQ)you all have knowledge.^[e] 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 ^(BR)he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is ^(BS)the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³^(BT)No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴Let ^(BU)what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then ^(BV)you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is the promise that he made to us^[f]—^(BW)eternal life.

²⁶I write these things to you about ^(BX)those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷But ^(BY)the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and ^(BZ)you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and ^(CA)is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Children of God

²⁸And now, little children, abide in him, so that ^(CB)when he appears ^(CC)we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his ^(CD)coming. ²⁹If you know that ^(CE)he is righteous, you may be sure that ^(CF)everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.