Jesus Christ Our Advocate

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an [†]Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2and He Himself is the [†]propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

3And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

7Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8[†]On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness blinded his eyes.

12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because [†]you have known the Father. 14I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been 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

15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that [†]it would be manifested that they all are not of us. 20[†]But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21I 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. 22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the [†]Christ? This is the [†]antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24As for you, let that which you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is the promise which He Himself [†]made to us: eternal life.

26These things I have written to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27And as for you, the anointing whom you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as He has taught you, [†]abide in Him.

28And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He is manifested, we may have confidence and not [†]shrink away from Him in shame [†]at His coming. 29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who does righteousness has been [†]born of Him.