See Verse / Commentary

1 John

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Messiah the righteous. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours, but for the whole world. This is how we know that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commands. A person who says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But in whoever obeys His Gospel-word, the love of God has most certainly been perfected. This is how we know that we are in Him. The person who says he remains in God should conduct himself just as Jesus did. Beloved, it is not a new commandment I am writing to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Gospel-word you have already heard. On the other hand, it is a new commandment I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. The person who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is still in the darkness. The person who loves his brother or sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But the person who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven through the name of Jesus. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the Evil One. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, because you are strong, and the Gospel-word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the Evil One. 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, because all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in material possessions — is not from the Father but from the world. And the world is passing away with its lusts, but the person who does the will of God will live in the age to come. Children, it is a last hour. Just as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. That is how we know that it is a last hour. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us, because if they had belonged to us they would have continued with us. By their leaving it was shown that none of them really belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist — the person who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you will remain in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which he himself promised us: the life of the age to come. I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from him lives in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is no lie. Just as it has taught you, you live in him. Now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who does what is right has been fathered by him.

1 John