1 My little children, I am writing these things to you, so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One.
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 By this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 Whoever says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His word truly has the love of God perfected in him. By this we know we are in Him.
6 Whoever says he remains in Him ought to walk as He walked.
7 Brothers, I am writing no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning.
8 Yet a new commandment I am writing to you, which holds true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 Whoever says he is in the light but hates his brother is in darkness even until now.
10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
11 But whoever hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in 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 your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,because you have known Him who is from the beginning.I am writing to you, young men,because you have overcome the evil one.I am writing to you, little children,because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,because you have known Him who is from the beginning.I have written to you, young men,because you are strong,and the word of God lives in you,and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world or the things 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—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
18 Little children, it is the last hour. As you have heard that the antichrist will come, even now there are many antichrists. By this 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 no doubt have remained with us. But they went out, revealing that none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
21 I have written to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? Whoever denies the Father and the Son is the antichrist.
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father.
24 Let that which you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If that which you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
26 I have written these things to you concerning those who deceive you.
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. For as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in Him.
28 And now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him when He comes.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who does righteousness is born of Him.