5 Whoever believes that aJesus is the Christ is bborn of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and ckeep His commandments. 3 dFor this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And eHis commandments are not burdensome. 4 For fwhatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that ghas overcome the world—1our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but hhe who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Certainty of God’s Witness

6 This is He who came iby water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. jAnd it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness 2in heaven: the Father, kthe Word, and the Holy Spirit; land these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: mthe Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

9 If we receive nthe witness of men, the witness of God is greater; ofor this is the witness of 3God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God phas the witness in himself; he who does not believe God qhas made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 rHe who has the Son has 4life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have 4life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, 5and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Confidence and Compassion in Prayer

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that sif we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and tHe will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. uThere is sin leading to death. vI do not say that he should pray about that. 17 wAll unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Knowing the True—Rejecting the False

18 We know that xwhoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God ykeeps 6 7himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are of God, and zthe whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

20 And we know that the aSon of God has come and bhas given us an understanding, cthat we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. dThis is the true God eand eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, awe have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And bHe Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but calso for the whole world.

The Test of Knowing Him

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a dliar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But ewhoever keeps His word, truly the love of God 1is perfected fin him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 gHe who says he abides in Him hought himself also to walk just as He walked.

7 2Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had ifrom the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard 3from the beginning. 8 Again, ja new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, kbecause the darkness is passing away, and lthe true light is already shining.

9 mHe who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 nHe who loves his brother abides in the light, and othere is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who phates his brother is in darkness and qwalks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Their Spiritual State

12 I write to you, little children,

Because ryour sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

13 I write to you, fathers,

Because you have known Him who is sfrom the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

Because you have overcome the wicked one.

I write to you, little children,

Because you have tknown the Father.

14 I have written to you, fathers,

Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men,

Because uyou are strong, and the word of God abides in you,

And you have overcome the wicked one.

Do Not Love the World

15 vDo not love the world or the things in the world. wIf anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, xthe lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And ythe world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Deceptions of the Last Hour

18 zLittle children, ait is the last hour; and as you have heard that bthe 4Antichrist is coming, ceven now many antichrists have come, by which we know dthat it is the last hour. 19 eThey went out from us, but they were not of us; for fif they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out gthat they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

20 But hyou have an anointing ifrom the Holy One, and jyou 5know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 kWho is a liar but he who denies that lJesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 mWhoever denies the Son does not have the nFather either; ohe who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Let Truth Abide in You

24 Therefore let that abide in you pwhich you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, qyou also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 rAnd this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to 6deceive you. 27 But the sanointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and tyou do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing uteaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you 7will abide in Him.

The Children of God

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that 8when He appears, we may have vconfidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 wIf you know that He is righteous, you know that xeveryone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

3 Behold awhat manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that bwe should be called children of 1God! Therefore the world does not know 2us, cbecause it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, dnow we are children of God; and eit has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, fwe shall be like Him, for gwe shall see Him as He is. 3 hAnd everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and isin is lawlessness. 5 And you know jthat He was manifested kto take away our sins, and lin Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 mHe who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, nthat He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been oborn of God does not sin, for pHis seed …