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Christ is our advocate. Of true love, and how it is tried.

My little children, these things I write to you so that you do not sin. Yet if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father: Jesus Christ the Righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world. 

And hereby are we sure that we know him: if we keep his commandments. He who says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Whoever keeps his word, in him is the love of God perfected in deed. And thereby we know that we are in him. He who says he abides in him ought to walk even as he walked.

Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but that old commandment that you heard from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, a thing that is true in him and also in you. For the darkness is past and the true light now shines. He who says that he is in the light and yet hates his brother, is in darkness even until this time. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion of evil in him. 11 He who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he goes because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 Babes, I write to you because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write to you fathers because you know him who was from the beginning. I write to you young men because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you little children because you know the Father. 14 I write to you fathers because you know him who was from the beginning. I write to you young men because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome that wicked one.

15 See that you love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of goods) is not of the Father, but of the world. 17 And the world is vanishing away, and the desires of it. But he who fulfils the will of God endures forever.

18 Little children, it is the last time. And as you have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists come already. By this we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But this happened so that it might appear that they were not of us.

20 And you have an anointing of the Holy Spirit, and you know all things. 21 I did not write to you as though you did not know the truth, but as knowing it, and as knowing also that no lie comes of truth. 22 Who is a liar, but he who denies that Jesus is Christ? He is the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son, the same does not have the Father.

24 Let therefore abide in you that which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will continue in the Son and in the Father. 25 And the promise that he has promised us is eternal life.

26 This I have written to you concerning those who deceive you.

27 And the anointing that you have received from him dwells in you, and you need not that any man teach you – but as the anointing teaches you all things, and is true, and is no lie, and as it taught you, even so abide therein.

28 And now babes, abide in him, so that when he appears we may be bold, and not be made ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, know also that he who follows righteousness is born of him.

My dear children,(A) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(B) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(C) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(D)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

We know(E) that we have come to know him(F) if we keep his commands.(G) Whoever says, “I know him,”(H) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(I) But if anyone obeys his word,(J) love for God[a] is truly made complete in them.(K) This is how we know(L) we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(M)

Dear friends,(N) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(O) This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command;(P) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(Q) and the true light(R) is already shining.(S)

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b](T) is still in the darkness.(U) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[c] lives in the light,(V) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(W) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(X) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(Y) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(Z)

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children,(AA)
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(AB)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(AC)
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome(AD) the evil one.(AE)

14 I write to you, dear children,(AF)
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.(AG)
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,(AH)
    and the word of God(AI) lives in you,(AJ)
    and you have overcome the evil one.(AK)

On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(AL) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them.(AM) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(AN) the lust of the eyes,(AO) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(AP) but whoever does the will of God(AQ) lives forever.

Warnings Against Denying the Son

18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(AR) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(AS) even now many antichrists have come.(AT) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(AU) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.(AV)

20 But you have an anointing(AW) from the Holy One,(AX) and all of you know the truth.[e](AY) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(AZ) and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.(BA) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(BB)

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning(BC) remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.(BD) 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.(BE)

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.(BF) 27 As for you, the anointing(BG) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things(BH) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.(BI)

God’s Children and Sin

28 And now, dear children,(BJ) continue in him, so that when he appears(BK) we may be confident(BL) and unashamed before him at his coming.(BM)

29 If you know that he is righteous,(BN) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.(BO)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
  2. 1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
  3. 1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
  4. 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
  5. 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things