It is what existed from the beginning, that we announce; what we have heard, what we have seen with our own eyes, what we have beheld, and touched with our hands; it is the very message of life??2 for life has been revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it and announce to you that eternal life that was with the Father and has been revealed to us??3 it is what we have seen and heard that we announce to you also, so that you may share our fellowship, for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ,

but whoever obeys his message really has the love of God in perfection in his heart. This is the way we can be sure that we are in union with him;

But whoever hates his brother is in darkness, and is living in darkness, and he does not know where he is going, for the darkness has blinded his eyes.

I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who has existed from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers, because you know him who has existed from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and God's message is always in your hearts, and you have been victorious over the evil one.

No one who disowns the Son can have the Father. Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father too.

And what he himself has promised us is eternal life.

You still retain in your hearts the anointing with the Spirit that you received from him, and you do not need to have anyone teach you. But just as that anointing of his teaches you about everything, and as it is true and no falsehood, keep in union with him just as it has taught you to do.

Think what love the Father has had for us, in letting us be called God's children, for that is what we are. This is why the world does not know what we are??ecause it has never come to know him.

Dear friends, we are God's children now; it has not yet been disclosed what we are to be. We know that if he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

No one who keeps in union with him sins. Anyone who sins has never seen him or come to know him.

Whoever commits sin is a child of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. This is why the Son of God appeared??o undo the devil's work.

His command is this??hat we are to believe in his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he has commanded us to do.

All who obey his commands keep in union with him, and he does with them; and this is how we know that he keeps in union with us??y the Spirit which he has given us.

You can tell the Spirit of God in this way: all inspiration that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in human form comes from God,

God's love for us has been revealed in this way??hat God has sent his only Son into the world, to let us have life through him.

Dear friends, if God has loved us so, we ought to love one another.

No one has ever seen God; yet if we love one another, God keeps in union with us and love for him attains perfection in our hearts.

This is the way we know that we keep in union with him and he does with us??ecause he has given us some of his Spirit.

We have seen and can testify that the Father has sent the Son to be Savior of the world.

So we know and believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever continues to love keeps in union with God, and God with him.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear suggests punishment and no one who feels fear has attained perfect love.

If anyone says, "I love God," and yet hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

for every child of God is victorious over the world. Our faith is the victory that has triumphed over the world.

If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is stronger still; for the value of God's testimony lies in this, that he has testified to his Son.

Whoever believes in the Son of God possesses that testimony in his heart. Anyone who will not believe God has made him a liar, for he has refused to believe the testimony that God has borne to his Son.

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

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever has not the Son has not life.

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us power to recognize him who is true; and we are in union with him who is true, through his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.