1 John 2:3–17

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. ¹⁰Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him² there is no ^pcause for stumbling. ¹¹But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and ^qwalks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹²I am writing to you, little children,

because ^ryour sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

¹³I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know ^shim who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

because ^tyou have overcome the evil one.

I write to you, children,

because ^uyou know the Father.

¹⁴I write to you, fathers,

because you know ^shim who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

because ^tyou are strong,

and the word of God abides in you,

and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

^15vDo not love the world or the things in the world. ^wIf anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—^xthe desires of the flesh and ^ythe desires of the eyes and pride of life³—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷And ^zthe world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.