| New King James Version | NET 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. | 1(My 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 One, |
| 2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. | 2and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world. |
| 3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. | 3Now by this we know that we have come to know God: 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. | 4The one who says "I have come to know God" and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. |
| 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 obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. 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. | 6The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just 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. | 7Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have already 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. | 8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you 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 still hates his fellow Christian is still in the darkness. |
| 10He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. | 10The one who loves his fellow Christian resides 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 fellow Christian is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and 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, that your sins have been forgiven because of 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, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, that you have conquered 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, that you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered 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 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. | 16because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) 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 is passing away with all its desires, but the person who 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 heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. 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 really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us. |
| 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. | 20Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. |
| 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 that you do not know the truth, but that you do know it, and that no lie is of 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 but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist: the person 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. | 23Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also. |
| 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, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. |
| 25And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. | 25Now 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. | 26These things I have written 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. | 27Now as for you, the anointing that you received from him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside 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. | 28And now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back. |
| 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 fathered by him. |
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