| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. | 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. |
| 2This is how we know that we love God's children when we love God and obey His commands. | 2By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. |
| 3For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, | 3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, |
| 4because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. | 4because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. |
| 5And who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? | 5Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. |
| 6Jesus Christ--He is the One who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the One who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. | 6This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. |
| 7For there are three that testify: | 7For there are three that testify: |
| 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood--and these three are in agreement. | 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement. |
| 9If we accept the testimony of men, God's testimony is greater, because it is God's testimony that He has given about His Son. | 9Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son. |
| 10(The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him. The one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about His Son.) | 10Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son. |
| 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. | 11And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. |
| 12The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life. | 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. |
| 13I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. | 13I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. |
| 14Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. | 14And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. |
| 15And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for. | 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him. |
| 16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him--to those who commit sin that doesn't bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that. | 16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin. |
| 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin that does not bring death. | 17All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death. |
| 18We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. | 18We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him. |
| 19We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. | 19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. |
| 20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One--that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. | 20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
| 21Little children, guard yourselves from idols. | 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. |
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