St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
1 John 1:1-2:2
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; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and
not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments.
Whoever says, "I have come to know him," but does not obey his
commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist;
but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has
reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever
says, "I abide in him," ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that
you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you
have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him
and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is
already shining. Whoever says, "I am in the light," while hating a
brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or
sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for
stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks
in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has
brought on blindness.
I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people,
because you are strong
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father
is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world — the
desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches — comes
not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are
passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.
Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is
coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is
the last hour. They 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 by
going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. But you
have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. I
write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know
it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar but
the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the
one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the
Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you
heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the
beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.
And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.
I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As
for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so
you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you
about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught
you, abide in him.
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may
have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does
right has been born of him.
