Overcoming the World

1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the [†]Christ has been [†]born of God, and everyone who loves the [†]One who gives new birth loves also the one who has been [†]born of Him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do His commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4For everything that has been [†]born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith.

5Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not [†]with the water only, but [†]with the water and [†]with the blood. It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that bear witness: 8[†]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are [†]in agreement. 9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for the witness of God is this, that He has borne witness about His Son. 10The one who believes in the Son of God has this witness in himself. The one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness which God has borne witness about His Son. 11And the witness is this, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have that life.

That You May Know

13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14And this is the confidence which we have [†]before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

16If anyone sees his brother [†]committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and [†]God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

18We know that no one who has been [†]born of God sins; but He who was [†]begotten of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

21Little children, guard yourselves from idols.