1 John 2:1-29
2 My children, I am writing you these things in order that you may not sin; and if one sins, we have a spokesman to the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one;
2 and he is a propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the whole world’s.
3 It is by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 * He who says “I know him” and does not keep his commandments is a liar; in that man the truth is not;
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him God’s love does really come to its completion. It is by this we know that we are in him:
6 he who says he is dwelling in him ought himself to be walking in the same way as he walked.
7 Dear friends, it is not a new commandment I am writing you, but an old commandment that you had from the first: the old commandment is the word you did hear.
8 * Again, it is a new commandment I am writing you; this is true as to him and as to you, because the darkness is passing and now the true light is shining.
9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness up to now;
10 * he who loves his brother is dwelling in the light, and there is nothing in him to bring him to a downfall,
11 but he who hates his brother is in the darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I am writing to you, children, because your sins are forgiven you on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know the one that has been from the first. I am writing to you, youths, because you have won victories over the Evil One. I have written to you, boys, because you know the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know the one that has been from the first. I have written to you, youths, because you are strong and God’s word dwells in you and you have won victories over the Evil One.
15 Do not love the world nor what is in the world. If one loves the world the love of the Father is not in him,
16 ** because all that is in the world, the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the pretentiousness of our life, does not come from the Father but comes from the world;
17 and the world passes, and so does the desire of it, but he who does God’s will remains forever.
18 It is the last moment, boys; and as you have heard that there is an antichrist coming, so there have now come to be many antichrists, from which we know that it is the last moment.
19 * They went out from us, but they were not part of us; for if they had been part of us, they would have remained with us, but it was in order that it might be made apparent that they are not any of them part of us.
20 ** And you have an anointment from the Holy One, and you all know;
21 I have not been writing to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it and any lie does not belong to 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 Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father too.
24 For your part, let what you heard from the first dwell in you; if what you heard from the first dwells in you, so will you dwell in the Son and in the Father.
25 And the promise he made to us is this: eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you about those who are misleading you.
27 And for your part, the anointment you received from him dwells in you, and you have no need that one should teach you; but as his anointment teaches you about everything, and is true and is not a lie, and as he did teach you, dwell in him.
28 And now, children, dwell in him, in order that if he makes his appearance we may have confidence and not be shamed away from him at his coming.
29 * If you know that he is righteous, you take knowledge that everyone who does right is born out of him.
Footnotes
^ 2:4 Lit. a liar, and in that man
^ 2:8 Lit. am writing you, which thing is true in him and in you
^ 2:10 Lit. there is no foot-tripper in him
^ 2:16 Lit. of life
^ 2:16 Lit. is not out of the Father but is out of
^ 2:19 Or but it had to be made apparent Lit. but in order that it might be made apparent
^ 2:20 Var. Holy One; you
^ 2:20 Var. you know everything
^ 2:29 Or If you know that he is righteous, take knowledge
