1 John 2:1–15

Jesus Is Our Helper

2My dear children, I write this letter to you so you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a helper in the presence of the Father—Jesus Christ, the One who does what is right. ²He died in our place to take away our sins, and not only our sins but the sins of all people.

³We can be sure that we know God if we obey his commands. ⁴Anyone who says, “I know God,” but does not obey God’s commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. ⁵But if someone obeys God’s teaching, then in that person God’s love has truly reached its goal. This is how we can be sure we are living in God: ⁶Whoever says that he lives in God must live as Jesus lived.

The Command to Love Others

⁷My dear friends, I am not writing a new command to you but an old command you have had from the beginning. It is the teaching you have already heard. ⁸But also I am writing a new command to you, and you can see its truth in Jesus and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

⁹Anyone who says, “I am in the light,” ⁿ but hates a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. ¹⁰Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light and will not cause anyone to stumble in his faith. ¹¹But whoever hates a brother or sister is in darkness, lives in darkness, and does not know where to go, because the darkness has made that person blind.

¹²I write to you, dear children,

because your sins are forgiven through Christ.

¹³I write to you, fathers,

because you know the One who existed from the beginning.

I write to you, young people,

because you have defeated the Evil One.

¹⁴I write to you, children,

because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

because you know the One who existed from the beginning.

I write to you, young people,

because you are strong;

the teaching of God lives in you,

and you have defeated the Evil One.

¹⁵Do not love the world or the things in the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you.