Translation:1 John

For other English-language translations of this work, see 1 John.

This book was claimed by Pleonic on 26 November 2007

Chapter 1

¹That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we examined and our hands touched, concerning the Word of Life -- ²and the Life was manifested, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the eternal Life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us -- ³that which we have seen and heard we declare to you also, that you also may have communion with us; and indeed our communion is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴We write these things so that our joy may be made full.

⁵The message we heard from him and proclaim to you is this: God is light, and no darkness exists in him at all. ⁶If we say that we are in communion with him but walk in darkness, we lie, not practicing the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, then we are in communion with each other. The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleans us from every sin.

⁸If we say that sin is something we do not have, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹But if we admit our sins he is faithful and just so he can forgive them and cleanse us from all that is not right in us. ¹⁰If we say we have not sinned we make God a liar. His message is not in us.

Chapter 2

¹My little children, I write these things to all of you so you will not sin. If anyone does sin there is an intercessor for us with the Father -- Jesus Christ the just. ²He himself is the sacrifice that expiates our sins, and not just ours but those of the whole world as well.

³This is how we can be sure that we know him: because we observe his commandments. ⁴A person who says, "I know him well," but does not observe his commandments is a liar. The truth is not in them. ⁵But whoever observes his teachings, the love of God has truly been brought to perfection in them. ⁶A person who says they dwell in him should live just as he lived^[1].

⁷My cherished ones, it is not a new commandment I write you but an old one that you have had from the beginning. This old commandment is the message all of you heard. ⁸But then again it is a new commandment I write you, one that is true in him and in you. For the darkness is vanishing; the true light already shines. ⁹A person who says they are in the light but hates their brother or sister^[2] is actually in the darkness to this very moment. ¹⁰The person that loves their brother or sister dwells in the light. There is nothing in them to offend others. ¹¹But one that hates their brother or sister is in darkness and lives their life in the darkness. They do not know where they are going because the darkness has made their eyes blind.

¹²To you I write, little children,

for your sins have been forgiven,

for his name's sake.

¹³To you I write, fathers,

for you know the one,

that is from the beginning.

To you I write, young men,

for you defeated the evil one.

¹⁴To you I wrote, young children,

for you know the father.

To you I wrote, fathers,

for you have known the one,

that is from the beginning.

To you I wrote, young men,

for you are strong.

The word of God dwells in you

and you defeated the evil one.

¹⁵Do not love the world or the things in it. If one loves the world, the Father's love is not in them. ¹⁶For all that there is in the world -- the longings of the flesh, the longings of the eyes, and pride over what is possessed in this life -- all of this is not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷And this world is passing away, as are its longings. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.

¹⁸Children, this is the last hour. Just as all of you heard that an antichrist is coming, many antichrists have already come. From this we know that this is the last hour. ¹⁹They left us, but they were not part of us. For if they were a part of us, they would have remained with us. By leaving they showed that not all are part of us.^{[3] 20}

Chapter 3

¹Look at the kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called the sons^[4] of God. And so the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him. ²Beloved ones, we are the sons of God now, but what we will become has yet to be shown. But we know this: when he appears we will be like him, for we will see him as he truly is. ³Every person who holds this hope purifies themselves, just as he is pure.

4 Whoever sins also violates the Law, for sin is violating the Law. 5 And you know that he appeared to take our sins away. In him there is no sin. 6 Anyone who stays within him does not sin; anyone who sins has not seen or known him. 7 Little children, do not let anyone fool you: it is people who do righteousness that are righteous, in the same way as he is righteous. 8 Someone who commits sin is on the side of the devil, because the devil sins from the beginning. The very reason the Son of God appeared, to destroy the devil's work. 9 A person born of God does not commit sin, because God's life is always in him. So they cannot sin, because they are born of God. 10 This is how it becomes clear who are the children of God, and also who are the children of the devil. Whoever does not do right is not of God, and neither is one who does not love their fellow believers^[5].

11 For this is the very message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not like Cain, who was on the evil one's side, and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because the things he did were evil, while his brother's were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the family of believers. But one who does not love his brother or sister is still in death. 15 Anyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. 16 By this we can grasp the love of God, that he laid down his life for us. Just so, we ought to lay down our lives for the believers. 17 However, if anyone has this world's goods, and sees a brother or sister in need, but shuts off any compassion for them, how can the love of God be in them? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in speech but in deed and in truth. 19 Then we will know that we are of the truth, and can reassure our hearts in his presence. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then have we confidence before God. 22 And whatever we ask, we receive of him because we follow his commands and do what pleases him.

23 This is his command: to believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he commanded. 24 The person who keeps obeys his commands actually lives in God, and God in him. And this is how we know that he stays in us, by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

Notes

1. Literally, "walked as he walked."
2. Literally, "brother" but used throughout the New Testament of fellow believers regardless of gender.
3. "By leaving" is implied from the previous verse.
4. "Sons" is here retained instead of the more inclusive "children" due to it's significance in Roman adoption law, which John is probably alluding to
5. Literally, "brother" but used throughout the NT for male and female Christians