¹My little children , I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counsellor with the Father , Jesus Christ , the righteous .[#2:1 Greek παρακλητον: Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter.]

²And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only , but also for the whole world .[#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.]

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 God ’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word . 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 had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you 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 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 .

¹⁴I 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 .

¹⁵Don’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 .

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 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 have an anointing from the Holy One , and you all have knowledge .[#2:20 Or, “know what is true”, or, “know all things”]

²¹I 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.

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 doesn’t have the Father . He who confesses the Son has the Father also .[#2:23 MT omits: He who confesses the Son has the Father also.]

²⁴Therefore , 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 .

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 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 .

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