2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an * advocate v with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 2 He Himself is the * propitiation w for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. x

God’s Commands

3 This is how we are sure y that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. z 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, a truly in him the love of God is perfected. b This is how we know we are in Him: c 6 The one who says he remains in Him d should * walk just as He walked.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command e but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message f you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away g and the true light h is already shining. i

9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother j is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother k remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. l 11 But the one who hates his brother m is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, n and doesn’t know where he’s going, o because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, little children,

because your sins have been forgiven

because of Jesus’ name. p

13 I am writing to you, fathers,

because you have come to know

the One who is from the beginning. q

I am writing to you, young men,

because you have had victory over the evil one. r

14 I have written to you, children,

because you have come to know the Father.

I have written to you, fathers,

because you have come to know

the One who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men,

because you are strong,

God’s word s remains in you,

and you have had victory over the evil one.

A Warning about the World

15 Do not love the * world t or the things that belong to u the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to v the world—the lust of the flesh, w the lust of the eyes, x and the pride y in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, z but the one who does God’s will a remains forever. b

The Last Hour

18 Children, it is the last hour. c And as you have heard, “Antichrist d is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.

20 But you have an anointing e from the Holy One, f and all of you have knowledge. g 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the * Messiah? h This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son can have the Father; i he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. j

Remaining with God

24 What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son k and in the Father. l 25 And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. m 26 I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

27 The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things n and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him. o