| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard 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 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. |
| 2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. | 2He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. |
| 3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. | 3This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. |
| 4He who says, “I know Him,” and 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, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we 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: |
| 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. | 6The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 9He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. | 9The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. |
| 10He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. | 10The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for 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 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 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 because of Jesus' 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 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 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, 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 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 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, and the lust of it; but he who 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. |
| 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 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 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. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. |
| 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. | 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. |
| 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 don't know the truth, but because you do know 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 not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist: the one 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. | 23No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who 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. | 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 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. | 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, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him 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 know that everyone who practices righteousness is 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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