| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. | 1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. |
| 2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. | 2He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. |
| 3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. | 3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. |
| 4He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. | 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. |
| 5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. | 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: |
| 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. | 6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked. |
| 7Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. | 7Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. |
| 8Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. | 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining. |
| 9He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. | 9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. |
| 10He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. | 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. |
| 11But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. | 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. |
| 12I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. | 12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven through His name. |
| 13I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. | 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 have written to you, children, because you know the Father. |
| 14I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is 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 wicked one. | 14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is 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. |
| 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 anything 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, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. | 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. |
| 17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. | 17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever. |
| 18Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. | 18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know 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 they might be made manifest, that none of them were 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. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. |
| 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. | 20You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. |
| 21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. | 21I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. |
| 22Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. | 22Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. |
| 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. | 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. |
| 24Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. | 24As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. |
| 25And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. | 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. |
| 26These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. | 26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. |
| 27But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. | 27And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. |
| 28And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. | 28And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. |
| 29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. | 29If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him. |
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