1 John 1
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have listened to, which we have seen with our own eyes, and our own hands have handled concerning the Word of Life--
[I, John, am writing to you about] the one who existed before [there was anything else]. He is the one whom we [apostles] listened to [as he taught us!] We saw him! We ourselves looked at him and touched him! [He is the one who taught us] the message that [enables people to have eternal] life (OR, live [spiritually]).
2 the Life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness, and we declare unto you the Life of the Ages which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- (aiōnios g166)
Because he came here [to the earth] and we have seen him, we proclaim to you clearly that the one whom we have seen is the [one who] has always lived. He was [previously] with his Father in heaven, but he came to live among us. (aiōnios g166)
3 that which we have seen and listened to we now announce to you also, in order that you also may have fellowship in it with us, and this fellowship with us is fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
We proclaim to you the [message about Jesus], the one whom we saw and heard, in order that you may have a close relationship with us. The ones whom we have a close relationship with are God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And we write these things in order that our joy may be made complete.
I am writing to you about these things so that [you (will be convinced/believe]) [that they are true, and as a] result we may be completely joyful.
5 This is the Message which we have heard from the Lord Jesus and now deliver to you--God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness.
The message that we heard from Christ and proclaim to you is this: God is [pure in every way. He never sins. He is like] [MET] a [brilliant] light that has no darkness at all.
6 If, while we are living in darkness, we profess to have fellowship with Him, we speak falsely and are not adhering to the truth.
If we claim to have a close relationship with [God], but [we conduct our lives in an impure manner, that is like] living [MET] in [evil] darkness. We are lying. We are not conducting our lives according to [God’s] true message.
7 But if we live in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.
But living [in a pure manner], as God is [living in a pure manner] [MET] [in every way, is like living] in God’s light. If we do that, we have a close relationship with each other. Not only that, but [God] (acquits us/removes [the guilt]) [of] all our sins because [he accepts] what his Son Jesus did for us [when his] blood [flowed from his body when he died. So we should conduct our lives] ([in a manner according to what God says is pure]).
8 If we claim to be already free from sin, we lead ourselves astray and the truth has no place in our hearts.
Those who say they never behave sinfully are deceiving themselves, and refusing [to accept as] true [what God says about them].
9 If we confess our sins, He is so faithful and just that He forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
But God will do what he says that he will do, and what he does is [always] right. So, if we confess to him that we [have behaved] sinfully, he will forgive [us for] our sins and (will free us from/remove) [the guilt of] all our sins. [Because of that], [we should confess to him that we have behaved sinfully].
10 If we deny that we have sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Message has no place in our hearts.
[Because God says that everyone has sinned], those who say/claim that they have never behaved sinfully talk [as though] God lies! They reject what God says [about us]!
