1 John 2:1–9

Christ Our Advocate

2My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, ^ywe have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ^2zHe is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^aalso for the sins of the whole world. ³And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we ^bkeep his commandments. ⁴Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments ^cis a liar, and ^cthe truth is not in him, ⁵but whoever ^dkeeps his word, in him truly ^ethe love of God is perfected. ^fBy this we may know that we are in him: ⁶whoever says he ^gabides in him ^hought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The New Commandment

⁷Beloved, I am writing you ⁱno new commandment, but ^jan old commandment ^kthat you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁸At the same time, it is ^la new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because^{1 m}the darkness is passing away and ⁿthe true light is already shining. ⁹Whoever says he is in the light and ^ohates his brother is still in darkness.