Johns First Letter

Chapter 2

¹My little children, I write these things to you so that you^a may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor^b with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. ²And he is the atoning sacrifice^c for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. ³This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. ⁴One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. ⁵But whoever keeps his word, God’s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: ⁶he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

⁷Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you^a had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you^a heard from the beginning. ⁸Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines. ⁹He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now. ¹⁰He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. ¹¹But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹²I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

¹³I write to you, fathers, because you^a know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men, because you^a have overcome the evil one.

I write to you, little children, because you^a know the Father.

¹⁴I have written to you, fathers, because you^a know him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men, because you^a are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you^a have overcome the evil one.

¹⁵Don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. ¹⁷The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.

¹⁸Little children, these are the end times, and as you^a heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. ²⁰You^a have an anointing from the Holy One, and you^a all have knowledge.^{d 21}I have not written to you because you^a don’t know the truth, but because you^a know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²²Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

²⁴Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you^a heard from the beginning. If that which you^a heard from the beginning remains in you, you^a also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. ²⁵This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. ²⁶These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. ²⁷As for you, the anointing which you^a received from him remains in you, and you^a don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you^a will remain in him. ²⁸Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. ²⁹If you^a know that he is righteous, you^a know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.

a	In the original language, this word is plural.
b	Greek Parakleton: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter.
c	“atoning sacrifice” is from the Greek “hilasmos,” an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation—the sacrifice that turns away God’s wrath because of our sin.
d	Or, “know what is true.” Or, “know all things.”

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Last updated on January 1, 2011 at 10:07 AM