1 John 2
God Is Light, So We Must Walk in the Light
1:5 Now1 this is the gospel2 message3 we have heard from him4 and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.5 1:6 If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking6 in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing7 the truth. 1:7 But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses8 us from all sin.9 1:8 If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin,10 we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1:9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous,11 forgiving12 us our sins and cleansing13 us from all unrighteousness. 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. 2:1 (My little children,14 I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.15) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate16 with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One,17 2:2 and he himself is the atoning sacrifice18 for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.19
Keeping God’s Commandments
2:3 Now20 by this we know that we have come to know God:21 if we keep his commandments. 2:4 The one who says “I have come to know God”22 and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. 2:5 But whoever obeys his23 word, truly in this person24 the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. 2:6 The one who says he resides25 in God26 ought himself to walk27 just as Jesus28 walked.
2:7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning.29 The old commandment is the word that you have already30 heard. 2:8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in him31 and in you, because32 the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.33 2:9 The one who says he is in the light but still hates34 his fellow Christian35 is still in the darkness. 2:10 The one who loves his fellow Christian36 resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.37 2:11 But the one who hates his fellow Christian38 is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.39
Words of Reassurance
2:12 I am writing to you,40 little children, that41 your sins have been forgiven because of his42 name. 2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, that43 you have known him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, that44 you have conquered the evil one.45 2:14 I have written to you, children, that46 you have known the Father.47 I have written to you, fathers, that48 you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that49 you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.
2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 2:16 because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions)50 is not from the Father, but is from the world. 2:17 And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains51 forever.
Warning About False Teachers
2:18 Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists52 have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour. 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained53 with us. But54 they went out from us55 to demonstrate56 that all of them do not belong to us.57
2:20 Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.58 2:21 I have not written to you that59 you do not know the truth, but that60 you do know it, and that61 no lie is of the truth. 2:22 Who is the liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ62? This one is the antichrist: the person who denies the Father and the Son. 2:23 Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.63
2:24 As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain64 in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 2:25 Now this65 is the promise that he66 himself made to67 us: eternal life.68 2:26 These things I have written to you about those who are trying to deceive you.69
2:27 Now as for you, the anointing70 that you received from him71 resides72 in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his73 anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as74 it75 has taught you, you reside76 in him.
Children of God
2:28 And now, little children, remain77 in him,78 so that when79 he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.80 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you also know81 that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered82 by him.