That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life

that which we have seen and heard we declare to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

And we write these things, that our joy may be fulfilled.

This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.

This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

But whoever keeps his word, God's love has truly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him:

Do not love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not the Father's, but is the world's.

Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour.

They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.

As for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father.

Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of him.

Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world does not know us, because it did not know him.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. We know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.

You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him is no sin.

For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love remains in death.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

And by this we will know that we are of the truth, and persuade our heart before him,

and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded us.

He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

and every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not of God; and this is that of the antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.

By this God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.

In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world.

This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.

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

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

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

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God's testimony that he has testified concerning his Son.

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

The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.

And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I do not say that he should make a request concerning this.

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

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

We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we 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.