FIRST JOHN

 

First John 2

1 ¶ My little children, I am writing these things to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2 He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 ¶ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we are keeping his commandments.

4 Anyone who claims to know him, but does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But the love of God is perfected in those who keep his word: that is how we know that we are in him.

6 Whoever claims to abide in him needs to walk, in the same way that he walked.

7 ¶ Brethren, I am not writing you a new commandment, but an old one that you had from the beginning. That commandment is the word that you have heard from the beginning.

8 Yet, in another sense, I am writing you a new commandment, its truth is seen in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light is now shining.

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light, and hates his brother, is still in darkness.

10 He who loves his brother continues in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause offense.

11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 ¶ I write to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven for his sake.

13 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is and has been from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I have written to you, little children, because you know the Father.

14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is and has been 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 wicked one.

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

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passes away, as do its lusts: but he who does the will of God remains forever.

18 ¶ Little children, these are the last days: and as you have heard the antichrist is coming, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that these are the last days.

19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us: but they went out, that it might be plain that they are not of us.

20 ¶ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? He is an antichrist, who denies the Father as well as the Son.

23 Whoever denies the Son, does not have the Father: but he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in the Son, and in the Father.

25 And this is what he promised to us, eternal life.

26 I have written these things to you regarding those trying to deceive you.

27 But the anointing that you have received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you: but as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true, and is not a lie, just as it has taught you, you will remain in him.

28 ¶ And now, little children, remain in him; so that when he appears, we may be confident, and unashamed before him at his coming.

29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that every one who walks in righteousness is born of him.

[Note: Verses 3-4 Compare 1John 1:10 with 2:4. Only those who humbly confess their sins are "keeping the commandments" (Romans 3:19-20, Romans 10:4). Those who deny their sins are ignoring the commandments no matter how they live their lives.]