The Word of Life
1 aThat which was from the beginning, bwhich we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning cthe word1 of life— 2 the dlife was made emanifest, and we have seen it, and ftestify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was gwith the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our hfellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And iwe are writing these things so that jour2 joy may be complete.
Walking in the Light
5 kThis is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 lIf we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we mlie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and nthe blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 oIf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and pthe truth is not in us. 9 qIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we rmake him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Christ Our Advocate
1 My little children, sI am writing these things to you tso that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an uadvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the vpropitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we wkeep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a xliar, and ythe truth is not in him, 5 but whoever zkeeps his word, in him truly the love of God is aperfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he babides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
The New Commandment
7 Beloved, cI am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is da new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because3 ethe darkness is passing away and fthe true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and ghates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever hloves his brother abides in the light, and in him4 there is no cause for istumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and jwalks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I am writing to you, little children,
because kyour sins are lforgiven for his name’s sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know mhim who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you nknow the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God oabides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. pIf anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life5—is not from the Father but is qfrom the world. 17 And rthe world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever sdoes the will of God abides forever.
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18 Children, it is the tlast hour, and uas you have heard that vantichrist is coming, so wnow many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been xanointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.6 21 I write to you, ynot because you do not zknow the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that aJesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will babide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the cpromise that he made to us7—eternal life.
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to ddeceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
Children of God
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have econfidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that feveryone who practices righteousness has been gborn of him.
How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love
To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;1
qthere is no fear of God
before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 He rplots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends sto the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 tYour righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge uin the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is vthe fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, wunable to rise.
