1 John 1:1–2:11

PROLOGUE: OUR DECLARATION

1 What was from the beginning,a what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the wordb of life—2 that life was revealed,c and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to usd—3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowshipe with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Fatherf and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these thingsA so that ourB joyg may be complete.

FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light,h and there is absolutely no darkness in him.i 6 If we say, “We have fellowshipj with him,” and yet we walk in darkness,k we are lying and are not practicing the truth.l 7 If we walk in the lightm as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesusn his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,”o we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgivep us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his wordq is not in us.r

2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocates with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrificeC,t for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.u

GOD’S COMMANDS

3 This is how we knowv that we know him: if we keep his commands.w 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word,x truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him:y 6 The one who says he remains in himz should walk just as he walked.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new commandaa but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the wordab 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 awayac and the true lightad is already shining.ae 9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sisteraf is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother or sisterag remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.D 11 But the one who hates his brother or sisterah is in the darkness, walks in the darkness,ai and doesn’t know where he’s going,aj because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

a	Jn 1:1 1 Jn 2:13–14
b	Ps 119:25 Jn 1:1 Jn 1:4 Jn 5:24 Php 2:16
c	Jn 1:31 Jn 21:1 Jn 21:14 Col 3:4 1 Pe 5:4 1 Jn 2:28 1 Jn 3:5 1 Jn 3:8
d	1 Jn 5:20
e	Php 3:10
f	Mt 11:27
A	Other mss add to you
B	Other mss read your
g	2 Co 2:3 Php 1:4 Php 1:25 Php 2:18
h	Ps 27:1 Ps 36:9 Jn 12:46 1 Ti 6:16
i	1 Jn 2:5
j	2 Co 8:4
k	Pr 2:13 Is 9:2 Is 50:10 Jn 8:12 Jn 12:35 1 Jn 2:11
l	Jn 14:6 2 Co 11:10 3 Jn 3
m	Eph 5:8–14 Php 2:15 Col 1:12–14 1 Th 5:5
n	Heb 10:19 Heb 12:24 1 Pe 1:2 1 Pe 1:19 Re 1:5
o	Pr 20:9 Je 2:35 Ro 3:9–23 Jas 3:2
p	Ps 103:3 Je 31:34 Mt 9:6 Mt 26:28 Col 1:14 Jas 5:15
q	Lk 8:21 Heb 4:12
r	Jn 8:37
s	Jn 14:26
C	Or the propitiation
t	Ro 3:25 2 Co 5:21 Heb 2:17 1 Jn 4:10
u	Mt 26:13 Mt 28:19–20 Mk 14:9 Ro 1:8
v	Jn 13:35 1 Jn 2:5 1 Jn 3:19 1 Jn 3:24 1 Jn 4:2 1 Jn 4:6 1 Jn 4:13 1 Jn 5:2
w	Jn 14:15 Jn 15:10
x	Jn 14:23
y	Jn 6:56 Jn 14:20 Jn 15:1–7 Ro 8:1 2 Co 5:17 Eph 2:10 Php 1:1
z	Jn 15:4–7 1 Jn 2:24 1 Jn 2:27–28 1 Jn 3:6 1 Jn 3:24 1 Jn 4:13 1 Jn 4:15–16
aa	Mk 7:8 Jn 13:34 2 Jn 5
ab	Lk 6:47 Jn 1:1
ac	Ro 13:12 1 Co 7:31 1 Jn 2:17
ad	Jn 1:9 Jn 3:19–21 Jn 8:12 Jn 12:46
ae	Jn 1:5 Jn 12:35–36 Re 22:5
af	1 Jn 2:11 1 Jn 3:15 1 Jn 4:20
ag	Ro 12:10 1 Th 4:9 Heb 13:1 1 Pe 1:22 1 Jn 3:10 1 Jn 3:14–17 1 Jn 4:20–21
D	Or it
ah	Le 19:17 1 Jn 3:15 1 Jn 4:20
ai	1 Jn 1:6
aj	Jn 14:6