| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: | 1My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ the Righteous One. |
| 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. | 2He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. |
| 3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. | 3This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. |
| 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. | 4The one who says, "I have come to know Him," yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. |
| 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. | 5But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: |
| 6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. | 6The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. |
| 7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. | 7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. |
| 8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. | 8Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. |
| 9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. | 9The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. |
| 10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. | 10The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. |
| 11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. | 11But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. |
| 12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. | 12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus' name. |
| 13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. | 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have had victory over the evil one. |
| 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. | 14I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God's word remains in you, and you have had victory over the evil one. |
| 15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | 15Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. |
| 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. | 16For everything that belongs to the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's lifestyle--is not from the Father, but is from the world. |
| 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. | 17And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever. |
| 18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. | 18Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, "Antichrist is coming," even now many antichrists have come. We know from this 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 no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. | 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. |
| 20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. | 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. |
| 21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. | 21I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. |
| 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. | 22Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. |
| 23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. | 23No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. |
| 24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. | 24What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. |
| 25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. | 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. |
| 26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. | 26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. |
| 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. | 27The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don't need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him. |
| 28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. | 28So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. |
| 29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. | 29If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. |
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