¹The Word that gives life[#Jn 1.1.]

was from the beginning,

and this is the one

our message is about.

Our ears have heard,

our eyes have seen,

and our hands have touched

this Word.

²The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us.[#Jn 1.14.]

³We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

⁴We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy.[#1.4 Some manuscripts have “you.”]

God Is Light

⁵Jesus told us God is light and doesn't have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.

⁶If we say we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth.

⁷But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.[#4 Macc 17.21.]

⁸If we say we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts.

⁹But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

¹⁰If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his message isn't in our hearts.[#1.10 Or “because we have not accepted his message.”]