Jesus Our Advocate

1My little children, I write these things to you, in order that you may not sin. And if any one may sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2he is the expiator for our sins: and not ours only, but indeed for the whole world.

3And in this we know that we have known him, if we are keeping his commandments. 4The one saying, I have known him, and keeping not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whosoever shall keep his word, truly the divine love of God has been made perfect in him. In this we know that we are in him. 6The one saying that he abides in him ought himself so to walk about, as he also did walk about.

A New Commandment

7Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but the old one which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8Again I do write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you: because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9The one saying that he is in the light, and hating his brother, is in the darkness until now. 10The one loving his brother with divine love abides in the light, and there is no stumbling in him. 11But the one hating his brother is in darkness, and walks about in darkness, and does not know whither he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven through his name. 13I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have conquered the wicked one. I have written unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because you have known him from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

15Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him: 16because this is all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17The world and its lust are indeed passing away; but the one doing the will of God abides forever.

Beware of Antichrists

18Little children, it is the last hour: and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, from which we know that it is the last hour. 19They came out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us: but in order that they might be made manifest that they are not all of us. 20You have an unction from the Holy One, and you all know. 21I have not written unto you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22Who is a liar except the one denying that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son. 23No one denying the Son has the Father: the one confessing the Son has also the Father.

Remain in Christ

24Let that which you heard from the beginning abide in you. If that which you heard from the beginning may abide in you, you also are abiding in the Son, and in the Father.

25This is the message which he proclaimed unto you, eternal life.

26I have written these things unto you concerning those deceiving you. 27And the unction which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one may teach you: but as his unction teaches you concerning all things, and it is true, and it is no lie, and as he has taught you, abide in him.

28And now, little children, abide in him; in order that, if he may appear, we may have boldness, and not shrink with embarrassment from him in his presence. 29If you may know that he is righteous, know that every one doing righteousness has been born of him.