Chapter 2
Christ and His Commandments. 1 My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.(A) 2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.(B) 3 The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.(C) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.(D) 5 But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:(E) 6 whoever claims to abide in him ought to live [just] as he lived.
The New Commandment. 7 Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.(F) 8 And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in him and among you, for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.(G) 9 Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.(H) 10 Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.(I) 11 Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Members of the Community. 12 I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven(J) for his name’s sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one.(K)
14 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 men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.
15 Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.(L) 16 For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.(M)
Antichrists. 18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour.(N) 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. 20 But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, and you all have knowledge.(O) 21 I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.(P) 22 Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.(Q) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.(R)
Life from God’s Anointing. 24 (S)Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.(T) 26 I write you these things about those who would deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him.
Children of God. 28 And now, children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming. 29 If you consider that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him.
Footnotes
- 2:1
- 2:3–6
- 2:7–11
- 2:8
- 2:12–17
- 2:12
- 2:15
- 2:16
- 2:18
- 2:19
- 2:20
- 2:22–23
- 2:24
- 2:28–29
Cross references
- 2:1 : Jn 14:16; Hb 7:25.
- 2:2 : 4:10.
- 2:3 : Jn 14:15; 15:10.
- 2:4 : 4:20.
- 2:5 : Jn 14:23.
- 2:7 : 3:11; Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37–40.
- 2:8 : Jn 13:34 / Jn 1:5; Rom 13:12.
- 2:9 : Jn 8:12.
- 2:10 : Eccl 2:14; Jn 11:10.
- 2:12 : 1 Cor 6:11.
- 2:13 : 1:1; Jn 1:1.
- 2:15 : Rom 8:7–8; Jas 4:4; 2 Pt 1:4.
- 2:17 : Is 40:8; Mt 7:21; 1 Cor 7:31; 1 Pt 4:2.
- 2:18 : 1 Tm 4:1.
- 2:20 : Jn 14:26.
- 2:21 : 3:19; 2 Pt 1:12.
- 2:22 : 2 Thes 2:4.
- 2:23 : Jn 14:7–9.
- 2:24 : Jn 14:23.
- 2:25 : Jn 5:24; 10:28; 17:2.
