But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

[I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]—

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

I repeat, it is what we have seen and heard that we now announce to you, so that you too may share this fellowship with us, for this fellowship that we have is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ;

If we claim to be already free from sin, we lead ourselves astray and the truth has no place in our hearts.

If we make it our habit to confess our sins, in his faithful righteousness he forgives us for those sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action].

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:

Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you: but an old commandment which ye had at the beginning. For an old commandment is the word which ye heard from the beginning.

And yet I *am* giving you a new command, for such it really is, so far as both He and you are concerned: because the darkness is now passing away and the light, the true light, is already beginning to shine.

He who says that he is in the light, and has hate in his heart for his brother, is still in the dark.

The one who loves and unselfishly seeks the best for his [believing] brother lives in the Light, and in him there is no occasion for stumbling or offense [he does not hurt the cause of Christ or lead others to sin].

But he who has hate for his brother is in the dark, walking in the dark with no knowledge of where he is going, unable to see because of the dark.

I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

I write to you, fathers, for ye have known him from the beginning. I write to you, young men, for ye have conquered the evil. I write to you, young children, for ye have known the Father.

I wrote to you, fathers, for ye have known him from the beginning. I wrote to you, young men, for ye are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and ye have conquered the evil.

Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

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

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

As for you, you have an anointing from the holy One and have perfect knowledge.

Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father; but he who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you.

As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father.

And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him.

And now, my children, keep your hearts in him; so that at his revelation, we may have no fear or shame before him at his coming.

Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and'such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this way it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the Evil One; anyone who does not do righteousness or who has no love for his brother, is not a child of God.

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

not as Cain, who was of the evil one and violently murdered his brother. And {for what reason} did he violently murder him? Because his deeds were evil and the [deeds] of his brother [were] righteous.

Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world has no love for you.

As for us, we know that we have already passed out of death into Life--because we love our brother men. He who is destitute of love continues dead.

Anyone who has hate for his brother is a taker of life, and you may be certain that no taker of life has eternal life in him.

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him?

Little children [i.e., dear ones], we should not [merely] claim to love [people], or [even just] talk about it, but [we should love] by what we do [for them] in a genuine way.

for thereby we know that we be of the truth, and so shall we certify our hearts in his sight.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

My loved ones, if our heart does not say that we have done wrong, we have no fear before him;

and we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].

And this is his law, that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love for one another, even as he said to us.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world.

By this you know and recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ has [actually] come in the flesh [as a man] is from God [God is its source];

As for you, dear children, you are God's children, and have successfully resisted them; for greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

They are of the world; for this reason they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God's love for us has been manifested in that He has sent His only Son into the world so that we may have Life through Him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

My loved ones, if God had such love for us, it is right for us to have love for one another.

No man has ever seen God: if we have love for one another, God is in us and his love is made complete in us:

Hereby know we, that we abide in him, and he in us: For he hath given us of his spirit.

And, we, for ourselves have gazed, and are bearing witness - that, the Father, sent forth the Son, as Saviour of the world.

We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him.

In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.