The Incarnate Word

1 What was ^(A)from the beginning, what we have ^(B)heard, what we have ^(C)seen with our eyes, what we ^(D)have looked at and ^(E)touched with our hands, concerning the ^(F)Word of Life— ² and ^(G)the life was revealed, and we have ^(H)seen and ^(I)testify and proclaim to you ^(J)the eternal life, which was ^(K)with the Father and was ^(L)revealed to us— ³ what we have ^(M)seen and ^(N)heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our ^(O)fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ^4 (P)These things we write, so that our ^(Q)joy may be made complete.

God Is Light

^5 (R)This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that ^(S)God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

^7 [a]He came ^[b](A)as a witness, to testify about the Light, ^(B)so that all might believe through him.

^9 [a]This was ^(A)the true Light ^[b]that, coming into the world, enlightens every person.

^10 [a]if you ^[b]obey the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which ^(A)are written in this Book of the Law, ^[c]if you turn to the Lord your God ^(B)with all your heart and soul.

¹¹ “For this commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away. ¹² It is not in heaven, ^[d]that you could say, ‘^(C)Who will go up to heaven for us and get it for us, and proclaim it to us, so that we may ^[e]follow it?’ ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, ^[f]that you could say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us and get it for us and proclaim it to us, so that we may ^[g]follow it?’ ¹⁴ On the contrary, the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may ^[h]follow it.

⁸ But what does it say? “^(A)The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,

¹⁷ So faith comes from ^(A)hearing, and hearing by ^(B)the word ^[a]of Christ.

²¹ if indeed you ^(A)have heard Him and have ^(B)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,