1 John 2:3–17

³Now by this we know that we have come to know him, if we obey his commandments. ⁴Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; ⁵but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we know that we are in him:^{* 6}whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk in the same way as he walked.^*

A New Commandment

⁷Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁸Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because^b the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.^{* 9}Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness.^{* 10}Whoever loves a brother or sister abides in the light, and in such a person^c there is no cause for stumbling. ¹¹But whoever hates a brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.^*

¹²I am writing to you, little children,

because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.^*

¹³I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young people,

because you have conquered the evil one.

¹⁴I write to you, children,

because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young people,

because you are strong

and the word of God abides in you,

and you have overcome the evil one.^*

¹⁵Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world,^{* 16}for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷And the world and its desire^d are passing away, but those who do the will of God abide forever.^*