| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. | 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. |
| 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. | 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. |
| 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. | 3In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, |
| 4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. | 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. |
| 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? | 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. |
| 6This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. | 6This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. |
| 7For there are three that testify: | 7For there are three that testify: |
| 8the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. | 8the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. |
| 9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. | 9We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. |
| 10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. | 10Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. |
| 11And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. | 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. |
| 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. | 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. |
| 13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. | 13I write these things 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 that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. | 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 that we have asked of him. | 15And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him. |
| 16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. | 16If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. |
| 17All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. | 17All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. |
| 18We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. | 18We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. |
| 19We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. | 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control 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. He is the true God and eternal life. | 20We know also 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 by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
| 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. | 21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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