The First Epistle General of John

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

He Himself is the atoning sacrifice (a) for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.

If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:

Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.

A New Commandment

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard.

Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.

Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He 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 His name.

I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.(b) I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.

I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Beware of Antichrists

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.

They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.

You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.(c)

I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth.

Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

Remain in Christ

As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father.

And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.

I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.

And now, little children, remain in Christ,(d) so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.

If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

Footnotes

(a)2:2 Or the propitiation

(b)2:13 Or you have overcome evil; also in verse 14

(d)2:28 Literally remain in Him

My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor(a) with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.

And he is the atoning sacrifice(b) for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.

But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him:

he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

A New Commandment

Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

Again, 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.

He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness even until now.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.

But 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.

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

I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.

I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.

For 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.

The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.

Beware of Antichrists

Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour.

They 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.

You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.(c)

I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.

Whoever denies the Son doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

Remain in Christ

Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father.

This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.

These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.

As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you 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 will remain in him.

Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 Greek παρακλητον: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter.

(b)2:2 “atoning sacrifice” is from the Greek “ιλασμος”, an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation—the sacrifice that turns away God’s wrath because of our sin.