1 John 2
1 You who are very dear to me, I am writing this to you [to say], “Do not sin!” But if any of you [believers] sins, [God can forgive you because] we have Jesus Christ, who is the righteous one, who speaks to the Father on our behalf [and asks him to forgive us].
My dear children! these things, am I writing unto you, in order that ye may not be committing sin. And, if anyone should commit sin, an Advocate, have we, with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous;
2 [Remember that Jesus Christ] voluntarily sacrificed [his own life for us, so that as a result God forgives] our sins. [Yes, God is able to forgive] our sins, but not only ours! [He is] also [able to forgive] the sins of people everywhere!
And, he, is, a propitiation, concerning our sins, —and, not concerning our own only, but, also concerning those of the whole world.
3 [I will tell you] how we can be sure that we (know/have a close relationship with) [God]. [If we] obey what he commands [us to do, that shows us that we have a close relationship with him. So we must always obey what he commands us to do].
And, hereby, perceive we, that we understand him, —if, his commandments, we are keeping.
4 Those who say, “We (know/have a close relationship with) God,” and do not obey what [God] commands [us to do], are liars. They are not conducting their lives according to [God’s] true message.
He that saith—I understand him! And, his commandments, is not keeping, is false, and, in him, the truth is not!
5 But those who obey what [God] commands them to do are the people who love God in the manner in which he wants us to. [I will tell you] how we can be sure that we have a close relationship with God:
But whosoever may be keeping his word, of a truth, in this man, the love of God hath been made perfect. Hereby, perceive we, that, in him, we are.
6 If we say that we are living as God wants us to, we should [conduct our lives] as Christ [did].
He that saith, that, in him, he abideth, ought, just as He walked, himself also, to be walking.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new [additional] command to you. Instead, I am writing to you a command which was given to you when you first [MTY] [believed in Christ]. That command is [part of] the message that you have [always] heard.
Beloved! no new commandment, am I writing unto you; but an old commandment, which ye have been holding from the beginning: The old commandment is the word which ye have heard.
8 Nevertheless, [I can say that] the command I am writing to you is a new command. [It is new because] what Christ [did] was new, and what you [are doing] is new, because [you have been ceasing to conduct your lives in a morally impure manner] and [are now truly conducting your lives in a pure manner. That is like] [MET] no longer [living in] darkness. Instead, [it is like] living where a brilliant light is already shining.
Again, a new commandment, am I writing unto you, —which thing is true, in him and in you, because, the darkness, is passing away, and, the real light, already is shining.
9 Those who claim that they are [pure in every way, like people] [MET] living in the light, but hate any of their fellow believers, are still [behaving in an impure manner, like] [MET] [people who are continually living] in darkness.
He that saith he is, in the light, and hateth, his brother, is, in the darkness, until even now!
10 But those who love their fellow believers [are continuing to conduct their lives like people] who are living in the light. They are people who please [God] [LIT]. [So you should love your fellow believers].
He that loveth his brother, is abiding, in the light, and, cause of stumbling, in him, is there none.
11 But those who hate any of their fellow believers are still [conducting their lives in an impure way, like] [MET] [people who are living] in darkness. They do not know that they will eventually destroy themselves [eternally]. They have become [spiritually] blind [PRS, MET], [unaware of spiritual truth].
Whereas, he that hateth his brother, in the darkness, dwelleth, and in the darkness, walketh; and knoweth not whither he is drifting, because the, darkness, hath blinded his eyes.
12 I am writing [this] to you [whom I love as though] [MET] [you were my] little children, to you who are [spiritually mature people who are like] [MET] fathers, and to you [spiritually vigorous/strong people who are like] [MET] young men. Remember that your sins have been forgiven {[God] has forgiven your sins} on account of what Christ [MTY] [has done]. You now know [Christ, the one] who always existed. You have defeated the evil one, [Satan].
I write unto you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven you, for the sake of his name:
I write unto you, fathers, because ye understand him who was from the beginning: I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye understand the Father:
14 [I will say it again]: I have written [this] to you because you have come to know the Father, because you now know [Christ, the one] who always existed, because you are [spiritually] strong, because you continue to [obey] God’s word, and because you have defeated the evil one, [Satan].
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye understand him who was from the beginning: I have written you, young men, because ye are, strong, and the word of God, within you, abideth, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
15 Do not desire [to conduct you lives in the evil manner in which] godless [people in] the world [MTY] conduct their [lives], and do not love anything that [the evil people] in the world [MTY] [consider to be good]. Those who desire [to conduct their lives in the evil manner in which other people of] the world [MTY] conduct their [lives] do not [really] love [God], their Father, [at all].
Be not loving the world, nor yet the things that are in the world: if anyone be loving the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 Keep in mind that all [the evil human desires] in the world [are actions/things such as these]: [People] desire to do [what] their self-directed nature [strongly desires]. [People] desire [to possess] whatever (appeals to their senses/they see or hear about). [People] boast about the material things that they possess. [Such evil ways of living] do not originate/come from the Father! Instead they originate/come from [the (godless people in] the world/people in the world who conduct their lives in a manner that displeases God) [MTY]!
Because, all that is in the world—the coveting of the flesh, the coveting of the eyes, and the vain grandeur of life—is not of the Father, but is, of the world;
17 The [godless people in] the world [MTY], along with what they desire, will disappear, but those who do what God wants [them to do] will live forever! You know that it is now the final period of this age when there are liars who deny that Jesus is God’s Chosen One. But you have the power of God’s Spirit and you know what is true and what is false. So continue to live according to the true message that you heard when you began to believe in Christ, in order that you may continue to live united both to God’s Son and to the Father. (aiōn g165)
And, the world, passeth away, and the coveting [thereof], but, he that doeth the will of God, endureth unto times age-abiding. (aiōn g165)
18 [You who are very dear to me], it is [now] (the final part [MTY] [of this age/] final [period of time before Jesus returns]). Just like you heard [from us apostles] that a person who opposes Christ will come/appear, even now there are many people who oppose Christ. That is why we know that it is the final part [of this age] (OR, [before Jesus returns]) [MTY].
Little children! it is, the last hour; and, just as ye have heard that, an antichrist, is coming, even now, antichrists have become, many, whence we perceive that it is, the last hour:
19 The [people who oppose Christ] refused to remain in our congregations, but they never [really] (belonged with us/were fellow believers). If they had (belonged with us/been fellow believers), they would have remained with us. But because [they left, everyone] can clearly know that none of them (belongs with us/is a fellow believer).
From among us, they went out, but they were not of us; for, if, of us, they had been, they would in that case have abode with us; but [it came to pass] in order that they might be made manifest, because, all, are not of us.
20 But as for you, you have been given the power of [God’s Spirit, which comes from Christ] (OR, [God]), the Holy One. [As a result], you all know [how to] ([distinguish false teaching from/recognize what is false teaching and what is]) [the true message].
And, ye, have, an anointing, from the Holy One, —Ye all, know:
21 I am writing [this letter] to you, not because you do not know [what is God’s] true message, but because you do know [what it is]. You also know that no false message originates/comes from [God, who is the source of all] truth.
I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and because, no falsehood, is, of the truth.
22 The [worst] liars are the ones who deny that Jesus is (the Messiah/the one whom God chose to rescue us). They are [the ones that we told you about], the ones who oppose Christ. They refuse to acknowledge/admit that [God is] the Father and that [Jesus is his] Son (OR, the one who is also God).
Who, is the False One; —save he that denieth that, Jesus, is the Christ? The same, is the Antichrist, —he that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Those who refuse to acknowledge/admit that [Jesus is God’s] Son do not have a relationship with the Father. But those who acknowledge/admit that [Jesus is God’s] Son [not only have a relationship with God’s Son, but they] have a relationship with the Father also.
Whosoever denieth the Son, neither hath he, the Father: He that confesseth the Son, hath, the Father also.
24 [So], as for you, you must continue to conduct your lives according to [the true message] that you heard when you began [MTY] [to believe in Christ]. If you continue to [do that], you will continue to have a close relationship with both [God’s] Son and the Father.
As for you, what ye have heard from the beginning, in you, let it abide. If, in you, shall abide, that which, from the beginning, ye have heard, ye also, in the Son, and [in] the Father, shall abide.
And, this, is the promise, which he hath promised unto us, —The age-abiding life. (aiōnios g166)
26 I have written this to you [to] ([warn you] about/tell you to beware of) those [who want to] deceive you [concerning the truth about Christ].
These things, have I written unto you, concerning them who would lead you astray.
27 As for you, God’s Spirit, whom you received from Christ, remains in you. So you do not need anyone to teach you [anything else that they claim/say is the truth]. God’s Spirit is teaching you all [of God’s truth that you need to know]. God’s Spirit is truthful and never says anything that is false. So continue to conduct your lives in the way that [he has] taught you.
And, as for you, the anointing which ye have received from him, abideth in you, and ye have, no need, that anyone be teaching you; but, as, his anointing, is teaching you, and is, true, and is no falsehood, even just as it hath taught you, abide ye in him.
28 Now, [while some people are trying to persuade you to accept their false teaching, I urge] you, who are all very dear to me, to continue to [have a close relationship with] Christ. [We need to do that] in order that we may be confident [that he will accept us] when he comes back again. If we do that, we will not be ashamed [when we stand] before [him] when he comes.
And, now, dear children, abide ye in him, in order that, if he be made manifest, we may have boldness, and not be shamed away from him by his presence.
29 Since you know that [Christ] always does what is right, you know that all those who continue doing what is right are the ones who have become children of God.
If ye know that he is, righteous, ye perceive that—whosoever doeth righteousness, of him, hath been born.
