6 If we say, “We have fellowship l with Him,” yet we * walk in darkness, m we are lying and are not practicing n the truth. o 7 But if we walk in the light p as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus q His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” r we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive s us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word t is not in us. u

2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an * advocate v with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 2 He Himself is the * propitiation w for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. x

God’s Commands

3 This is how we are sure y that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. z 4 The 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. 5 But whoever keeps His word, a truly in him the love of God is perfected. b This is how we know we are in Him: c 6 The one who says he remains in Him d should * walk just as He walked.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command e but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message f you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away g and the true light h is already shining. i

9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother j is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother k remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. l 11 But the one who hates his brother m is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, n and doesn’t know where he’s going, o because the darkness has blinded his eyes.