Iohannis I 5

1 Omnis, qui credit, quoniam Iesus est Christus, ex Deo natus est. Et omnis, qui diligit eum qui genuit, diligit et eum qui natus est ex eo.

All those who believe that Jesus is the (Messiah/person God sent [to rescue us]) are ones who [have truly] become children of God. And everyone who loves [a man who is] someone’s father will [be expected to] love that man’s children as well. [Similarly, those who love God, who has caused them to become his children] [MET], [should love their fellow believers, whom God has also caused to become his children].

2 In hoc cognoscimus quoniam diligamus natos Dei, cum Deum diligamus, et mandata eius faciamus.

The way we can be sure that we [truly] love God’s children is this: We are loving them when we love God and do what he commands [us to do].

3 Haec est enim charitas Dei, ut mandata eius custodiamus: et mandata eius gravia non sunt.

[I say this] because our obeying what God commands [us to do] is [the same as] loving him. And it is not burdensome/difficult for [us to do] what God commands [us to do].

4 Quoniam omne, quod natum est ex Deo, vincit mundum: et haec est victoria, quae vincit mundum, fides nostra.

All of us whom God has caused to become his children have been able to successfully resist (doing what/conducting our lives like) the people [MTY] [who] oppose God do. It is [only] by our trusting [in Christ] that we are able to (resist doing what/conducting our lives like) people in the world who are opposed to God [MTY] do.

5 Quis est, qui vincit mundum, nisi qui credit quoniam Iesus est filius Dei?

([I will tell you] who are the ones who are able to resist doing what the people who are opposed to God do./Do you know who are the ones who are able to resist conducting their lives like the people who are opposed to God [MTY] do? [RHQ]) It is those who believe that Jesus is (God’s Son/the man who is also God).

6 hic est, qui venit per aquam et sanguinem, Iesus Christus: non in aqua solum, sed in aqua et sanguine. Et spiritus est, qui testificatur, quoniam Christus est veritas.

[Think about] Jesus Christ. He is the one who came [to earth from God]. [God showed that he had truly sent Jesus when Jesus was baptized] in water [MTY] and [when Jesus’] blood [flowed from his body when he died]. [God showed this] not only [when Jesus was baptized] [MTY], but also when Jesus’ blood flowed [from his body when he died]. And [God’s] Spirit declares [truthfully that Jesus Christ came from God]. The Spirit always [speaks what] is true.

7 Quoniam tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in caelo: Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus sanctus: et hi tres unum sunt.

There are three [ways] by which we know [that Christ came from God].

8 Et tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in terra: Spiritus, et aqua, et sanguis: et hi tres unum sunt.

[Those three ways are: What God’s] Spirit [tells us, what God said when Jesus was baptized] [MTY] [in/with] water, and [Jesus’] blood [that flowed from his body when he died on the cross]. These three things all tell us the same thing, [that Jesus came from God].

9 Si testimonium hominum accipimus, testimonium Dei maius est: quoniam hoc est testimonium Dei, quod maius est, quoniam testificatus est de Filio suo.

We [usually] believe what [other] people say. But what God says is more [reliable/trustworthy than what people say]. So [we must believe] what God has said is true [about] (his Son/the one who is also God).

10 Qui credit in Filium Dei, habet testimonium Dei in se. Qui non credit Filio, mendacem facit eum: quia non credit in testimonium quod testificatus est Deus de Filio suo.

Those who trust in the Son of God know within their (inner beings/hearts) that [what God] says [about his Son is true. But] those who refuse to believe that [what] God says is true are saying that God is a liar, because they refuse to believe what God has said about (his Son/the one who is also God).

11 Et hoc est testimonium, quoniam vitam aeternam dedit nobis Deus. Et haec vita in Filio eius est. (aiōnios g166)

This is what [God] says [to us]: “I have given you eternal life!” We will live forever if we have a close relationship with his Son. (aiōnios g166)

12 Qui habet Filium Dei, habet vitam: qui non habet Filium Dei, vitam non habet.

Those who have [a close relationship with God’s] Son (OR, who have accepted what God’s Son [has done for them]) have [already] begun to live [forever]. [But] those who do not have a relationship with (God’s Son/the one who is also God) (OR, who have not accepted what God’s Son has done for them) have not begun [to] live [forever].

13 Haec scribo vobis: ut sciatis quoniam vitam habetis aeternam, qui creditis in nomine Filii Dei. (aiōnios g166)

I have written this [letter] to you who believe that Jesus is [MTY] (God’s Son/the one who is also God) in order that you may know that you have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

14 Et haec est fiducia, quam habemus ad Deum: Quia quodcumque petierimus secundum voluntatem eius, audit nos.

Because we have a close relationship with him, we are very confident that he hears us when we ask him [to do anything] that is in accordance with (his will/what he desires).

15 Et scimus quia audit nos quidquid petierimus: scimus quoniam habemus petitiones quas postulamus ab eo.

[And] since we know that he hears whenever we ask [him for something], we [also] know that [it is as though] he has [already] done what we requested him [to do].

16 Qui scit fratrem suum peccare peccatum non ad mortem, petat, et dabitur ei vita peccanti non ad mortem. Est peccatum ad mortem: non pro illo dico ut roget quis.

Those who see one of their fellow believers sinning in a way that does not result in being eternally separated from God should ask [God to help that fellow believer]; and [as a result God] will help that fellow believer and enable him or her to live [eternally. But some people] sin [in a manner that causes them] to be separated from God eternally. I am not saying that [you should] ask [God to help] people who sin like that.

17 Omnis iniquitas, peccatum est: et est peccatum ad mortem.

Everyone who does what is wrong is sinning, but there are some sins that do not cause a person to be separated from God.

18 Scimus quia omnis, qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat: sed generatio Dei conservat eum, et malignus non tangit eum.

We know that if a person has new life from God [MET], that person does not continue sinning. Instead, the (Son of/one who is also) God protects him so that [Satan], the evil one, does not harm him [spiritually].

19 Scimus quoniam ex Deo sumus: et mundus totus in maligno positus est.

We know that we belong to God, and [we know] that the evil one controls all [the evil people in] [MTY] the world.

20 Et scimus quoniam Filius Dei venit, et dedit nobis sensum ut cognoscamus verum Deum, et simus in vero Filio eius. Hic est verus Deus, et vita aeterna. (aiōnios g166)

We also know that (God’s Son/the one who is also God) has come [to us], and [we know] that he has enabled us to know God, the one who is really/truly God. So now we have a close relationship with [God because] we belong to Jesus Christ, the one who is the (Son of/man who is also) God. Jesus Christ is truly God, and [he is the one who enables us to have] eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

21 Filioli, custodite vos a simulacris. Amen.

[I say to] you who are very dear to me, guard/keep yourselves from [worshipping] gods [that have no real power]!