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 no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

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

One who says, "I know him," and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

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

Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard.

Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines.

He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.

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

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

I 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 remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

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.

I 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.

As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you remain in him.

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.

Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

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.

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

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

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.

We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

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

We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

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

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.

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.

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.