Jesus Our Advocate

1My little children, I am writing these things to you⁺ so that you⁺ might not sin. And if anyone might sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 2And He is the propitiation† for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

3And by this we know that we have known Him, if we may keep His commandments. 4The one saying, “I have known Him,” and not keeping His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever may keep His word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. In this we know that we are in Him: 6The one claiming to remain in Him ought, according to the manner that He walked, also himself in the same way to walk.

A New Commandment

7Beloved,† I am not writing to you⁺ a new commandment, but an old commandment, which you⁺ have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you⁺ heard.† 8Again, I am writing to you⁺ a new commandment, which is true in Him and in you⁺, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

9The one claiming to be in the light and hating his brother is in the darkness until now. 10The one loving his brother remains in the light, and in him† there is no cause for stumbling. 11But the one hating his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness; and he does not know where he goes, because the darkness blinded his eyes.

12I write to you⁺, little children, because the sins have been forgiven you⁺ through His name.

13I write to you⁺, fathers because you⁺ have known Him who is from the beginning.

I write to you⁺, young men, because you⁺ have overcome the evil one.†

I wrote† to you⁺, children, because you⁺ have known the Father.

14I wrote to you⁺, fathers, because you⁺ have known Him who is from the beginning.

I wrote 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

15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone should love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16because all that is in the world, the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the vaunting of life, is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away, and its desire; but the one doing the will of God remains to the age.

Beware of Antichrists

18Children, it is the last hour, and just as you⁺ heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, whereby we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But it is so that it might be made manifest that they are not all of us.

20And you⁺ have the anointing from the Holy One, and all of you⁺ know.† 21I did not write to you⁺ because you⁺ do not know the truth, but because you⁺ know it, and because any lie is not of the truth. 22Who is the liar, except the one denying that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son. 23Everyone denying the Son, neither does he have the Father. The one confessing the Son has the Father also.†

Remain in Christ

24You⁺,† let that which you⁺ heard from the beginning remain in you⁺. If that which you⁺ heard from the beginning should remain in you⁺, you⁺ also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that He promised us: eternal life.

26I wrote these things to you⁺ concerning those leading you⁺ astray. 27And you⁺, the anointing that you⁺ received from Him remains in you⁺, and you⁺ have no need that anyone should teach you⁺. But as the same anointing teaches you⁺ concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and just as it taught you⁺, remain in Him.

28And now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He should be made manifest, we might have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

29If you⁺ know that He is righteous, you⁺ know also that everyone doing righteousness has been born of Him.

Footnotes:

2 Or the atoning sacrifice
7 BYZ and TR Brothers
7 BYZ and TR include from the beginning.
10 Or in it
13 Or you have overcome evil; also in verse 14
13 BYZ and TR I write
20 BYZ and TR and you know all things
23 BYZ does not include The one confessing the Son has the Father also.
24 BYZ and TR include then.