Keeping Christ's Commandments

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the righteous one.

2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3By this we can be sure that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

4Whoever says, “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him:

6Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk just as he walked.

A New Commandment

7⁶Brothers, I am not writing you a new commandment, but an old commandment, which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the message you have heard ⁷from the beginning.

8Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

9Whoever says he is in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

10Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins have been forgiven you on account of his name.

13I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I ⁸am writing to you, children,
because you know the Father.

14I have written to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.

15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father, but from the world.

17And the world is passing away along with its lusts, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

The Antichrist

18Children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that ⁹the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out so that it might be revealed that they do not belong to us.

20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you ¹⁰know all things.

21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

22Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.

23No one who denies the Son has the ¹¹Father.

24¹²Therefore let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the ¹³Son and in the Father.

25And this is what he has promised us—eternal life.

26I have written these things to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.

27But the anointing you received from him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But ¹⁴the same anointing teaches you about all things; it is true, not a lie. So, just as it has taught you, ¹⁵you must abide in him.

Children of God

28And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not shrink back from him in shame when he comes back.

29If you ¹⁶know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.