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1 John 1-5
Darby Translation
1 John 1-5
Darby Translation
1 That which was from [the] beginning, that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes; that which we contemplated, and our hands handled, concerning the word of life;
2 (and the life has been manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and report to you the eternal life, which was with the Father, and has been manifested to us:)
3 that which we have seen and heard we report to you, that *ye* also may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship [is] indeed with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we to you that your joy may be full.
5 And this is the message which we have heard from him, and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practise the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as *he* is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us [our] sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2 My children, these things I write to you in order that ye may not sin; and if any one sin, we have a patron with the Father, Jesus Christ [the] righteous;
2 and *he* is the propitiation for our sins; but not for ours alone, but also for the whole world.
3 And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him verily the love of God is perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him.
6 He that says he abides in him ought, even as *he* walked, himself also [so] to walk.
7 Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment, which ye have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye heard.
8 Again, I write a new commandment to you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light already shines.
9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now.
10 He that loves his brother abides in light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I write to you, children, because [your] sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
13 I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked [one]. I write to you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and ye have overcome the wicked [one].
15 Love not the world, nor the things in the world. If any one love the world, the love of the Father is not in him;
16 because all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity.
18 Little children, it is [the] last hour, and, according as ye have heard that antichrist comes, even now there have come many antichrists, whence we know that it is [the] last hour.
19 They went out from among us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have surely remained with us, but that they might be made manifest that none are of us.
20 And *ye* have [the] unction from the holy [one], and ye know all things.
21 I have not written to you because ye do not know the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? *He* is the antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son has not the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also.
24 As for *you* let that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you: if what ye have heard from the beginning abides in you, *ye* also shall abide in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise which *he* has promised us, life eternal.
26 These things have I written to you concerning those who lead you astray:
27 and *yourselves*, the unction which ye have received from him abides in you, and ye have not need that any one should teach you; but as the same unction teaches you as to all things, and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, ye shall abide in him.
28 And now, children, abide in him, that if he be manifested we may have boldness, and not be put to shame from before him at his coming.
29 If ye know that he is righteous, know that every one who practises righteousness is begotten of him.
3 See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called [the] children of God. For this reason the world knows us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as *he* is pure.
4 Every one that practises sin practises also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
5 And ye know that *he* has been manifested that he might take away our sins; and in him sin is not.
6 Whoever abides in him, does not sin: whoever sins, has not seen him or known him.
7 Children, let no man lead you astray; he that practises righteousness is righteous, even as *he* is righteous.
8 He that practises sin is of the devil; for from [the] beginning the devil sins. To this end the Son of God has been manifested, that he might undo the works of the devil.
9 Whoever has been begotten of God does not practise sin, because his seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten of God.
10 In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. Whoever does not practise righteousness is not of God, and he who does not love his brother.
11 For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
12 not as Cain was of the wicked one, and slew his brother; and on account of what slew he him? because his works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous.
13 Do not wonder, brethren, if the world hate you.
14 *We* know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [his] brother abides in death.
15 Every one that hates his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby we have known love, because *he* has laid down his life for us; and *we* ought for the brethren to lay down [our] lives.
17 But whoso may have the world's substance, and see his brother having need, and shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him?
18 Children, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall persuade our hearts before him—
20 that if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness towards God,
22 and whatsoever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and practise the things which are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that we love one another, even as he has given us commandment.
24 And he that keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given to us.
4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, if they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby ye know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses Jesus Christ come in flesh is of God;
3 and every spirit which does not confess Jesus Christ come in flesh is not of God: and this is that [power] of the antichrist, [of] which ye have heard that it comes, and now it is already in the world.
4 *Ye* are of God, children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that [is] in you than he that [is] in the world.
5 *They* are of the world; for this reason they speak [as] of the world, and the world hears them.
6 *We* are of God; he that knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another; because love is of God, and every one that loves has been begotten of God, and knows God.
8 He that loves not has not known God; for God is love.
9 Herein as to us has been manifested the love of God, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son a propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God has so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has seen God at any time: if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, that he has given to us of his Spirit.
14 And *we* have seen, and testify, that the Father has sent the Son [as] Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 And *we* have known and have believed the love which God has to us. God is love, and he that abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17 Herein has love been perfected with us that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, that even as *he* is, *we* also are in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has torment, and he that fears has not been made perfect in love.
19 *We* love because *he* has first loved us.
20 If any one say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he that loves God love also his brother.
5 Every one that believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God; and every one that loves him that has begotten loves also him that is begotten of him.
2 Hereby know we that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For all that has been begotten of God gets the victory over the world; and this is the victory which has gotten the victory over the world, our faith.
5 Who is he that gets the victory over the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus [the] Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, for the Spirit is the truth.
7 For they that bear witness are three:
8 the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree in one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God [which] he has witnessed concerning his Son.
10 He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself; he that does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness which God has witnessed concerning his Son.
11 And this is the witness, that God has given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.
12 He that has the Son has life: he that has not the Son of God has not life.
13 These things have I written to you that ye may know that ye have eternal life who believe on the name of the Son of God.
14 And this is the boldness which we have towards him, that if we ask him anything according to his will he hears us.
15 And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
16 If any one see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life, for those that do not sin unto death. There is a sin to death: I do not say of that that he should make a request.
17 Every unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not to death.
18 We know that every one begotten of God does not sin, but he that has been begotten of God keeps himself, and the wicked [one] does not touch him.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wicked [one].
20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know him that [is] true; and we are in him that [is] true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21 Children, keep yourselves from idols.
1 John 1-5
New International Version
1 John 1-5
New International Version
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning,(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared;(D) we have seen it and testify to it,(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.(H) 4 We write this(I) to make our[a] joy complete.(J)
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard(K) from him and declare to you: God is light;(L) in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(M) we lie and do not live out the truth.(N) 7 But if we walk in the light,(O) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.(P)
8 If we claim to be without sin,(Q) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(R) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(S) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(T) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(U) we make him out to be a liar(V) and his word is not in us.(W)
2 My dear children,(X) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(Y) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(Z) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(AA)
Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers
3 We know(AB) that we have come to know him(AC) if we keep his commands.(AD) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,”(AE) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(AF) 5 But if anyone obeys his word,(AG) love for God[c] is truly made complete in them.(AH) This is how we know(AI) we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(AJ)
7 Dear friends,(AK) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.(AL) This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command;(AM) its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing(AN) and the true light(AO) is already shining.(AP)
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[d](AQ) is still in the darkness.(AR) 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[e] lives in the light,(AS) and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.(AT) 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister(AU) is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.(AV) They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.(AW)
Reasons for Writing
12 I am writing to you, dear children,(AX)
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.(AY)
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.(AZ)
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome(BA) the evil one.(BB)
14 I write to you, dear children,(BC)
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.(BD)
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,(BE)
and the word of God(BF) lives in you,(BG)
and you have overcome the evil one.(BH)
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(BI) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[f] is not in them.(BJ) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(BK) the lust of the eyes,(BL) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(BM) but whoever does the will of God(BN) lives forever.
Warnings Against Denying the Son
18 Dear children, this is the last hour;(BO) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,(BP) even now many antichrists have come.(BQ) This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us,(BR) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.(BS)
20 But you have an anointing(BT) from the Holy One,(BU) and all of you know the truth.[g](BV) 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it(BW) and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.(BX) 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.(BY)
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning(BZ) remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.(CA) 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.(CB)
26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.(CC) 27 As for you, the anointing(CD) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things(CE) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.(CF)
God’s Children and Sin
28 And now, dear children,(CG) continue in him, so that when he appears(CH) we may be confident(CI) and unashamed before him at his coming.(CJ)
29 If you know that he is righteous,(CK) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.(CL)
3 See what great love(CM) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!(CN) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(CO) 2 Dear friends,(CP) now we are children of God,(CQ) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[h](CR) we shall be like him,(CS) for we shall see him as he is.(CT) 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves,(CU) just as he is pure.(CV)
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.(CW) 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.(CX) And in him is no sin.(CY) 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.(CZ) No one who continues to sin has either seen him(DA) or known him.(DB)
7 Dear children,(DC) do not let anyone lead you astray.(DD) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.(DE) 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,(DF) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God(DG) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.(DH) 9 No one who is born of God(DI) will continue to sin,(DJ) because God’s seed(DK) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God(DL) are and who the children of the devil(DM) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(DN) their brother and sister.(DO)
More on Love and Hatred
11 For this is the message you heard(DP) from the beginning:(DQ) We should love one another.(DR) 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one(DS) and murdered his brother.(DT) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.(DU) 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[i] if the world hates you.(DV) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,(DW) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.(DX) 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister(DY) is a murderer,(DZ) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.(EA)
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(EB) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(EC) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,(ED) how can the love of God be in that person?(EE) 18 Dear children,(EF) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.(EG)
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends,(EH) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God(EI) 22 and receive from him anything we ask,(EJ) because we keep his commands(EK) and do what pleases him.(EL) 23 And this is his command: to believe(EM) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,(EN) and to love one another as he commanded us.(EO) 24 The one who keeps God’s commands(EP) lives in him,(EQ) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.(ER)
On Denying the Incarnation
4 Dear friends,(ES) do not believe every spirit,(ET) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(EU) 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(EV) is from God,(EW) 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(EX) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(EY)
4 You, dear children,(EZ) are from God and have overcome them,(FA) because the one who is in you(FB) is greater than the one who is in the world.(FC) 5 They are from the world(FD) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(FE) This is how we recognize the Spirit[j] of truth(FF) and the spirit of falsehood.(FG)
God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(FH) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(FI) and knows God.(FJ) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(FK) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(FL) into the world that we might live through him.(FM) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(FN) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(FO) 11 Dear friends,(FP) since God so loved us,(FQ) we also ought to love one another.(FR) 12 No one has ever seen God;(FS) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(FT)
13 This is how we know(FU) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(FV) 14 And we have seen and testify(FW) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(FX) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(FY) God lives in them and they in God.(FZ) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.(GA) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(GB) 17 This is how love is made complete(GC) among us so that we will have confidence(GD) on the day of judgment:(GE) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(GF) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us.(GG) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(GH) is a liar.(GI) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(GJ) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(GK) 21 And he has given us this command:(GL) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(GM)
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
5 Everyone who believes(GN) that Jesus is the Christ(GO) is born of God,(GP) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.(GQ) 2 This is how we know(GR) that we love the children of God:(GS) by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.(GT) And his commands are not burdensome,(GU) 4 for everyone born of God(GV) overcomes(GW) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(GX)
6 This is the one who came by water and blood(GY)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.(GZ) 7 For there are three(HA) that testify: 8 the[k] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony,(HB) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,(HC) which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.(HD) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,(HE) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,(HF) and this life is in his Son.(HG) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.(HH)
Concluding Affirmations
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God(HI) so that you may know that you have eternal life.(HJ) 14 This is the confidence(HK) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.(HL) 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know(HM) that we have what we asked of him.(HN)
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.(HO) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.(HP) I am not saying that you should pray about that.(HQ) 17 All wrongdoing is sin,(HR) and there is sin that does not lead to death.(HS)
18 We know that anyone born of God(HT) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one(HU) cannot harm them.(HV) 19 We know that we are children of God,(HW) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(HX) 20 We know also that the Son of God has come(HY) and has given us understanding,(HZ) so that we may know him who is true.(IA) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.(IB)
Footnotes
- 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
- 1 John 1:7 Or every
- 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
- 1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
- 1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
- 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
- 1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things
- 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known
- 1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.
- 1 John 4:6 Or spirit
- 1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)
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