| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. | 1My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ the Righteous One. |
| 2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. | 2He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, 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. | 3This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. |
| 4Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, | 4The one who says, "I have come to know Him," yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. |
| 5but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: | 5But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: |
| 6whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. | 6The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. |
| 7Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. | 7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. |
| 8At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. | 8Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. |
| 9Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. | 9The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. |
| 10Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. | 10The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. |
| 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. | 11But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. |
| 12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. | 12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus' name. |
| 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. | 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have had victory over the evil one. |
| 14I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. | 14I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God's word remains in you, and you have had victory over the evil one. |
| 15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | 15Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. |
| 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. | 16For everything that belongs to the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's lifestyle--is not from the Father, but is from the world. |
| 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. | 17And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever. |
| 18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. | 18Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, "Antichrist is coming," even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. |
| 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. | 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. |
| 20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. | 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. |
| 21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. | 21I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. |
| 22Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. | 22Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. |
| 23No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. | 23No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. |
| 24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. | 24What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. |
| 25And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. | 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. |
| 26I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. | 26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. |
| 27But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. | 27The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don't need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him. |
| 28And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. | 28So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. |
| 29If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. | 29If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. |
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