Jesus Our Advocate

1My little sons, this I write to you, so that you may not sin. But if anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One. 2And he is the propitiation for our sins. And not only for our sins, but also for those of the whole world.

3And we can be sure that we have known him by this: if we observe his commandments. 4Whoever claims that he knows him, and yet does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the charity of God is perfected. And by this we know that we are in him. 6Whoever declares himself to remain in him, ought to walk just as he himself walked.

A New Commandment

7Most beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but the old commandment, which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word, which you have heard. 8Then too, I am writing to you a new commandment, which is the Truth in him and in you. For the darkness has passed away, and the true Light is now shining. 9Whoever declares himself to be in the light, and yet hates his brother, is in the darkness even now. 10Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause of offense in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness, and in darkness he walks, and he does not know where he is going. For the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12I am writing to you, little sons, because your sins are forgiven for the sake of his name. 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, adolescents, because you have overcome the evil one. 14I am writing to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I am writing 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

15Do not choose to love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world is the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the arrogance of a life which is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world is passing away, with its desire. But whoever does the will of God abides unto eternity.

Beware of Antichrists

18Little sons, it is the last hour. And, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have arrived. By this, we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from among us, but they were not of us. For, if they had been of us, certainly they would have remained with us. But in this way, it is made manifest that none of them are of us. 20Yet you have the anointing of the Holy One, and you know everything. 21I have not written to you as to ones who are ignorant of the truth, but as to ones who know the truth. For no lie is of the truth. 22Who is a liar, other than he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son also has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son, also has the Father.

Remain in Christ

24As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you, too, shall abide in the Son and in the Father.

25And this is the Promise, which he himself has promised to us: Eternal Life.

26I have written these things to you, because of those who would seduce you. 27But as for you, let the Anointing that you have received from him abide in you. And so, you have no need of anyone to teach you. For his Anointing teaches you about everything, and it is the truth, and it is not a lie. And just as his Anointing has taught you, abide in him.

28And now, little sons, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have faith, and we may not be confounded by him at his advent. 29If you know that he is just, then know, too, that all who do what is just are born of him.