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The Holy Chambers and the Outer Wall

42 Then he led me out into the outer court toward the north, and he brought me to the chambers that were opposite the temple yard and opposite the building on the north.(A) The length of the building that was on the north side[a] was[b] one hundred cubits and the width fifty cubits. Facing the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court and facing the pavement that belonged to the outer court, the chambers rose[c] gallery[d] by gallery[e] in three stories.(B) Amid the chambers was an interior passage, ten cubits wide and one hundred cubits deep,[f] and its[g] entrances were on the north.(C) Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleries[h] took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers in the building. For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the outer[i] court; for this reason the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones.(D) There was a wall outside parallel to the chambers, toward the outer court, opposite the chambers, fifty cubits long. For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long, while those opposite the temple were one hundred cubits long.(E) At the foot of these chambers ran a passage that one entered from the east in order to enter them from the terrace space outside.(F) 10 The entrance was aligned with the start of the wall[j] toward the court.

On the south[k] also, opposite the vacant area and opposite the building, there were chambers 11 with a passage in front of them; they were similar to the chambers on the north, of the same length and width, with the same exits[l] and arrangements and doors. 12 So the entrances of the chambers to the south were entered through the entrance at the head of the corresponding passage, from the east, along the matching wall.[m]

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the vacant area are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings; there they shall deposit the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the purification offering, and the guilt offering—for the place is holy.(G) 14 When the priests enter the holy place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court without laying there the vestments in which they minister, for these are holy; they shall put on other garments before they go near to the area open to the people.”(H)

15 When he had finished measuring the interior of the temple area, he led me out by the gate that faces east and measured the temple area all around.(I) 16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. 17 Then he turned and measured[n] the north side, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. 18 Then he turned and measured[o] the south side, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. 20 He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to make a separation between the holy and the common.(J)

The Divine Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east.(K) And there the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters, and the earth shone with his glory.(L) The[p] vision I saw was like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city and[q] like the vision that I had seen by the River Chebar, and I fell upon my face.(M) As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east,(N) the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.(O)

While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me out of the temple.(P) He said to me: “Mortal, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will reside among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by sacrificing to their kings[r] at their death.[s](Q) When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they were defiling my holy name by their abominations that they committed; therefore I have consumed them in my anger.(R) Now let them put away their idolatry and sacrifices to their kings[t] far from me, and I will reside among them forever.(S)

10 “As for you, mortal, describe the temple to the house of Israel, and let them measure the pattern, and let them be ashamed of their iniquities.(T) 11 When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the plan of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, and its whole form—all its ordinances and its entire plan and all its laws; and write it down in their sight so that they may observe and follow the entire plan and all its ordinances.(U) 12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. This is the law of the temple.(V)

The Altar

13 “These are the dimensions of the altar by long cubits in which each is a cubit and a handbreadth: its base shall be one cubit high[u] and one cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. This shall be the height of the altar:(W) 14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a width of one cubit, and from the lower ledge to the upper ledge, four cubits, with a width of one cubit,(X) 15 and the altar hearth, four cubits, and from the altar hearth projecting upward, four horns.(Y) 16 The altar hearth shall be square, twelve cubits long by twelve wide.(Z) 17 The ledge also shall be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide, with a rim around it half a cubit high, and its surrounding base, one cubit. Its steps shall face east.”(AA)

18 Then he said to me: “Mortal, thus says the Lord God: These are the ordinances for the altar: On the day when it is erected for offering burnt offerings upon it and for dashing blood against it,(AB) 19 you shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, says the Lord God, a bull of the herd for a purification offering.(AC) 20 And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around; thus you shall purify it and make atonement for it. 21 You shall also take the bull of the purification offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place belonging to the temple, outside the sacred area.(AD)

22 “On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a purification offering, and the altar shall be purified, as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you shall offer a bull of the herd without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish.(AE) 24 You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests shall throw salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord.(AF) 25 For seven days you shall provide daily a goat for a purification offering; also a bull of the herd and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be provided.(AG) 26 Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it and so consecrate it. 27 When these days are over, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer upon the altar your burnt offerings and your offerings of well-being, and I will accept you, says the Lord God.”(AH)

The Closed Gate

44 Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary that faces east, and it was shut. The Lord said to me: “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince, because he is a prince, may sit in it to eat food before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate and shall go out by the same way.”(AI)

Admission to the Temple

Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord, and I fell upon my face.(AJ) The Lord said to me: “Mortal, mark well, look closely, and listen attentively to all that I shall tell you concerning all the ordinances of the temple of the Lord and all its laws, and mark well the entrances[v] to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.(AK) Say to the rebellious house,[w] to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: O house of Israel, let there be an end to all your abominations(AL) in admitting foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary, profaning my temple when you offer to me my food, the fat and the blood. You[x] have broken my covenant with all your abominations.(AM) And you have not kept charge of my sacred offerings, but you have appointed foreigners[y] to act for you in keeping my charge in my sanctuary.

“Thus says the Lord God: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary. 10 But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment.(AN) 11 They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple and serving in the temple; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall attend on them and serve them.(AO) 12 Because they ministered to them before their idols and made the house of Israel stumble into iniquity, therefore I have sworn concerning them, says the Lord God, that they shall bear their punishment.(AP) 13 They shall not come near to me, to serve me as priest, nor come near any of my sacred offerings, the things that are most sacred, but they shall bear their shame and the consequences of the abominations that they have committed.(AQ) 14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, to do all its chores, all that is to be done in it.(AR)

The Levitical Priests

15 “But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall attend me to offer me the fat and the blood, says the Lord God.(AS) 16 It is they who shall enter my sanctuary; it is they who shall approach my table to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge. 17 When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen vestments; they shall have nothing of wool on them while they minister at the gates of the inner court and within the temple.(AT) 18 They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments on their loins; they shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.(AU) 19 When they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall remove the vestments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, so that they may not communicate holiness to the people with their vestments.(AV) 20 They shall not shave their heads or let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. 21 No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.(AW) 22 They shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but only a virgin of the stock of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a priest.(AX) 23 They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.(AY) 24 In a dispute they shall act as judges, and they shall decide it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.(AZ) 25 They shall not defile themselves by going near a dead person; for father or mother, however, and for son or daughter and for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves.(BA) 26 After he has become clean, they shall count seven days for him.(BB) 27 On the day that he goes into the holy place, into the inner court, to minister in the holy place, he shall offer his purification offering, says the Lord God.

28 “This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you shall give them no holding in Israel; I am their holding.(BC) 29 They shall eat the grain offering, the purification offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs.(BD) 30 The first of all the first fruits of all kinds and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings shall belong to the priests; you shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, in order that a blessing may rest on your house.(BE) 31 The priests shall not eat of anything, whether bird or animal, that died of itself or was torn by animals.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. 42.2 Gk: Heb door
  2. 42.2 Gk: Heb before the length
  3. 42.3 Heb lacks the chambers rose
  4. 42.3 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 42.3 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  6. 42.4 Gk Syr: Heb a way of one cubit
  7. 42.4 Heb their
  8. 42.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  9. 42.6 Gk: Heb lacks outer
  10. 42.10 Compare Gk: Heb in the thickness of the wall
  11. 42.10 Gk: Heb east
  12. 42.11 Heb and all their exits
  13. 42.12 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  14. 42.17 Gk: Heb measuring reed all around. He measured
  15. 42.18 Gk: Heb measuring reed all around. He measured
  16. 43.3 Gk: Heb Like the vision
  17. 43.3 Syr: Heb and the visions
  18. 43.7 Or the corpses of their kings
  19. 43.7 Or on their high places
  20. 43.9 Or the corpses of their kings
  21. 43.13 Gk: Heb lacks high
  22. 44.5 Syr Tg Vg: Heb entrance
  23. 44.6 Gk: Heb lacks house
  24. 44.7 Gk Syr Vg: Heb They
  25. 44.8 Heb lacks foreigners

The Rooms for the Priests

42 Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms(A) opposite the temple courtyard(B) and opposite the outer wall on the north side.(C) The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide.[a] Both in the section twenty cubits[b] from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery(D) faced gallery at the three levels.(E) In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits[c] long.[d] Their doors were on the north.(F) Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building. The rooms on the top floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors. There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. While the row of rooms on the side next to the outer court was fifty cubits long, the row on the side nearest the sanctuary was a hundred cubits long. The lower rooms had an entrance(G) on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

10 On the south side[e] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard(H) and opposite the outer wall, were rooms(I) 11 with a passageway in front of them. These were like the rooms on the north; they had the same length and width, with similar exits and dimensions. Similar to the doorways on the north 12 were the doorways of the rooms on the south. There was a doorway at the beginning of the passageway that was parallel to the corresponding wall extending eastward, by which one enters the rooms.

13 Then he said to me, “The north(J) and south rooms(K) facing the temple courtyard(L) are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings,(M) the sin offerings[f](N) and the guilt offerings(O)—for the place is holy.(P) 14 Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments(Q) in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.(R)

15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate(S) and measured the area all around: 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.[g][h] 17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits[i] by the measuring rod. 18 He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20 So he measured(T) the area(U) on all four sides. It had a wall around it,(V) five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,(W) to separate the holy from the common.(X)

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,(Y) and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,(Z) and the land was radiant with his glory.(AA) The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[j] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory(AB) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.(AC) Then the Spirit(AD) lifted me up(AE) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory(AF) of the Lord filled the temple.(AG)

While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne(AH) and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile(AI) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[k] for their kings at their death.[l](AJ) When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.(AK)

10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed(AL) of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, 11 and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations[m] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.(AM)

12 “This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area(AN) on top of the mountain will be most holy.(AO) Such is the law of the temple.

The Great Altar Restored

13 “These are the measurements of the altar(AP) in long cubits,[n] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[o] around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: 14 From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.[p] From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.[q] 15 Above that, the altar hearth(AQ) is four cubits high, and four horns(AR) project upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits[r] long and twelve cubits wide.(AS) 17 The upper ledge(AT) also is square, fourteen cubits[s] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.[t] The steps(AU) of the altar face east.(AV)

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings(AW) and splashing blood(AX) against the altar when it is built: 19 You are to give a young bull(AY) as a sin offering[u] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,(AZ) who come near(BA) to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 20 You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar(BB) and on the four corners of the upper ledge(BC) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar(BD) and make atonement for it. 21 You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.(BE)

22 “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.(BF) 24 You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt(BG) on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25 “For seven days(BH) you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.(BI) 26 For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. 27 At the end of these days, from the eighth day(BJ) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings(BK) and fellowship offerings(BL) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

The Priesthood Restored

44 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east,(BM) and it was shut. The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it.(BN) It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence(BO) of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.(BP)

Then the man brought me by way of the north gate(BQ) to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple(BR) of the Lord, and I fell facedown.(BS)

The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance(BT) to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.(BU) Say to rebellious Israel,(BV) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart(BW) and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.(BX) Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.(BY) This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.(BZ)

10 “‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray(CA) and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.(CB) 11 They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings(CC) and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.(CD) 12 But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall(CE) into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand(CF) that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CG) 13 They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame(CH) of their detestable practices.(CI) 14 And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.(CJ)

15 “‘But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok(CK) and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat(CL) and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CM) 16 They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table(CN) to minister before me and serve me as guards.(CO)

17 “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;(CP) they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. 18 They are to wear linen turbans(CQ) on their heads and linen undergarments(CR) around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.(CS) 19 When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated(CT) through contact with their garments.(CU)

20 “‘They must not shave(CV) their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.(CW) 21 No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.(CX) 22 They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.(CY) 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common(CZ) and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.(DA)

24 “‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges(DB) and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals,(DC) and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.(DD)

25 “‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.(DE) 26 After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.(DF) 27 On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary(DG) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering[v](DH) for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

28 “‘I am to be the only inheritance(DI) the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. 29 They will eat(DJ) the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted[w] to the Lord(DK) will belong to them.(DL) 30 The best of all the firstfruits(DM) and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal(DN) so that a blessing(DO) may rest on your household.(DP) 31 The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead(DQ) or torn by wild animals.(DR)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 That is, about 175 feet long and 88 feet wide or about 53 meters long and 27 meters wide
  2. Ezekiel 42:3 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  3. Ezekiel 42:4 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew and one cubit
  4. Ezekiel 42:4 That is, about 18 feet wide and 175 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long
  5. Ezekiel 42:10 Septuagint; Hebrew Eastward
  6. Ezekiel 42:13 Or purification offerings
  7. Ezekiel 42:16 See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew rods; also in verses 18 and 19.
  8. Ezekiel 42:16 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet or about 265 meters; also in verses 17, 18 and 19.
  9. Ezekiel 42:17 Septuagint; Hebrew rods
  10. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
  11. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
  12. Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
  13. Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
  14. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 21 inches or about 53 centimeters; also in verses 14 and 17. The long cubit is the basic unit for linear measurement throughout Ezekiel 40–48.
  15. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  16. Ezekiel 43:14 That is, about 3 1/2 feet high and 1 3/4 feet wide or about 105 centimeters high and 53 centimeters wide
  17. Ezekiel 43:14 That is, about 7 feet high and 1 3/4 feet wide or about 2.1 meters high and 53 centimeters wide
  18. Ezekiel 43:16 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  19. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  20. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  21. Ezekiel 43:19 Or purification offering; also in verses 21, 22 and 25
  22. Ezekiel 44:27 Or purification offering; also in verse 29
  23. Ezekiel 44:29 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.

The Word of Life

We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life(A) this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us(B) what we have seen and heard we also declare to you so that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.(C) We are writing these things so that our[a] joy may be complete.

God Is Light

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.(D) If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.(E) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(F) 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.(G)

Footnotes

  1. 1.4 Other ancient authorities read your

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

That which was from the beginning,(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared;(D) we have seen it and testify to it,(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.(H) We write this(I) to make our[a] joy complete.(J)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

This is the message we have heard(K) from him and declare to you: God is light;(L) in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(M) we lie and do not live out the truth.(N) But if we walk in the light,(O) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.(P)

If we claim to be without sin,(Q) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(R) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(S) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(T) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(U) we make him out to be a liar(V) and his word is not in us.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
  2. 1 John 1:7 Or every