Overcoming the World by Faith

1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves him who has begotten ³⁵also loves the one begotten of him.

2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.

3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world— ³⁶your faith.

5Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Testimony of God About His Son

6This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

7For there are three ³⁷that testify:

8the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three are in agreement.

9If we receive the testimony of men, we should know that the testimony of God is greater, because it is the testimony that God has given about his Son.

10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given about his Son.

11And this is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

The Knowledge of 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 ³⁸life, and so that you may continue believing ³⁹in the name of the Son of God.

14This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.

16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray for him, and God will give him life. I refer to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that he should pray about that.

17All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18We know that no one who has been born of God continues in sin, but he who is born of God guards ⁴⁰himself, and the evil one does not touch him.

19We know that we are from God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20And we know that the Son of God has come and 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. ⁴¹Amen.