< 1 John 2 >
1 My dear children, I am writing these things to you so that you not sin; if someone does sin, we have an Advocate in the Father's presence, righteous Jesus Christ—
2 also, He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; not concerning ours only but also concerning those of the whole world.
3 Now by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the Truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His Word, God's love has truly been perfected in him: by this we know that we are in Him.
6 He who claims to be abiding in Him really needs to act just like He acted.
7 Brothers, I am not writing a new commandment to you but an old one that you have had from the beginning; this old commandment is the word that you have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, I am writing a new commandment to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.
9 He who claims to be in the Light while hating his brother is in the darkness until now.
10 He who keeps on loving his brother is staying in the Light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.
11 But he who keeps on hating his brother is in the darkness and keeps walking in the darkness; he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 Dear children, I am writing to you because your sins have been forgiven for His name's sake
13 —fathers, I am writing to you because you have come to know Him who is from the beginning; young men, I am writing to you because you have overcome the evil one; children, I am writing to you because you have come to know the Father—
14 fathers, I have written to you because you have come to know Him who is from the beginning; young men, I have written to you because you are strong, and the Word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world, neither the things in the world; if anyone loves the world, the Father's love is not in him.
16 Because everything in the world—the craving of the flesh and the craving of the eyes and the pretension of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
17 The world, with its craving, is passing away, but he who does God's will remains forever. (aiōn )
18 Children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us but were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us—they left so that they might be exposed, that none of them were of us.
20 You have an Anointing from the Holy One and understand all.
21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the Truth.
22 Who is the liar but the one denying that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either.
24 So you, let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you; if what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Father and in the Son.
25 This is the promise that He Himself promised us—the eternal life. (aiōnios )
26 I have written these things to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you;
27 but really, you do not need anyone to teach you, because the Anointing that you received from Him abides in you; further, as the same Anointing teaches you concerning all things, and it is true and no lie—well just as He has taught you, you will abide in Him.
28 And now, dear children, do abide in Him, so that whenever He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
29 If you have understood that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been begotten by Him.
