Jesus is Our Advocate

¹ My 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 one. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

³ This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. ⁴ One who says, “I know him,” and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But the love of God has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his Word. This is how we know that we are in him: ⁶ he who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

A New Command

⁷ Brothers, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word which you heard from the beginning. ⁸ However, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Christ and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

⁹ He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is still living in darkness. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother remains in the light, and in him is no cause for stumbling. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother lives in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him.

¹² I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven, for his name’s sake.

¹³ I write to you, fathers, because you know the One who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.

¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, because you know the One who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love is not in him.

¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of Father but of the world. ¹⁷ The world, with all its cravings, is passing away, but he who does the will of God remains forever.

Beware of Antichrists

¹⁸ Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know, that it is the final hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they did not belong to us, for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

²⁰ You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. ²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. ²² Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

²⁴ Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. ²⁵ This is the promise which he promised us: eternal life. ²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. ²⁷ As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as he taught you, remain in him.

Continue in Him

²⁸ Now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears, we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming. ²⁹ If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

«       »