1John.1.1

From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in--we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands.

1John.1.1

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

1John.1.1

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--

1John.1.1

The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life.

1John.1.2

The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.

1John.1.2

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

1John.1.2

the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--

1John.1.2

This one who is life from God was shown to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and announce to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was shown to us.

1John.1.3

We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.

1John.1.3

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1John.1.3

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

1John.1.3

We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1John.1.4

Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!

1John.1.4

We write this to make our joy complete.

1John.1.4

And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

1John.1.4

We are writing these things so that our joy will be complete.

1John.1.5

This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him.

1John.1.5

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

1John.1.5

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

1John.1.5

This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.

1John.1.6

If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth--we're not living what we claim.

1John.1.6

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

1John.1.6

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

1John.1.6

So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth.

1John.1.7

But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin.

1John.1.7

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1John.1.7

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1John.1.7

But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin.

1John.1.8

If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense.

1John.1.8

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

1John.1.8

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

1John.1.8

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.

1John.1.9

On the other hand, if we admit our sins--make a clean breast of them--he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.

1John.1.9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1John.1.9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1John.1.9

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

1John.1.10

If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God--make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.

1John.1.10

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

1John.1.10

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

1John.1.10

If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

1John.2.1

I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus.

1John.2.1

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

1John.2.1

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

1John.2.1

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely.

1John.2.2

When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good--not only ours, but the whole world's.

1John.2.2

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1John.2.2

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1John.2.2

He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

1John.2.3

Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way: Keep his commandments.

1John.2.3

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.

1John.2.3

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1John.2.3

And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments.

1John.2.4

If someone claims, "I know him well!" but doesn't keep his commandments, he's obviously a liar. His life doesn't match his words.

1John.2.4

The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1John.2.4

He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1John.2.4

If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth.

1John.2.5

But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the only way to be sure we're in God.

1John.2.5

But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:

1John.2.5

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

1John.2.5

But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him.

1John.2.6

Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived.

1John.2.6

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

1John.2.6

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

1John.2.6

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.

1John.2.7

My dear friends, I'm not writing anything new here. This is the oldest commandment in the book, and you've known it from day one. It's always been implicit in the Message you've heard.

1John.2.7

Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.

1John.2.7

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

1John.2.7

Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the beginning. This commandment--to love one another--is the same message you heard before.

1John.2.8

On the other hand, perhaps it is new, freshly minted as it is in both Christ and you--the darkness on its way out and the True Light already blazing!

1John.2.8

Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

1John.2.8

Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

1John.2.8

Yet it is also new. This commandment is true in Christ and is true among you, because the darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining.

1John.2.9

Anyone who claims to live in God's light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark.

1John.2.9

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

1John.2.9

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

1John.2.9

If anyone says, "I am living in the light," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.

1John.2.10

It's the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God's light and doesn't block the light from others.

1John.2.10

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.

1John.2.10

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

1John.2.10

Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble.

1John.2.11

But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn't know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.

1John.2.11

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

1John.2.11

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

1John.2.11

Anyone who hates a Christian brother or sister is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness.

1John.2.12

I remind you, my dear children: Your sins are forgiven in Jesus' name.

1John.2.12

I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

1John.2.12

I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

1John.2.12

I am writing to you, my dear children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus.

1John.2.13

You veterans were in on the ground floor, and know the One who started all this; you newcomers have won a big victory over the Evil One. And a second reminder, dear children: You know the Father from personal experience.

1John.2.13

I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.

1John.2.13

I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

1John.2.13

I am writing to you who are mature because you know Christ, the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young because you have won your battle with Satan.

1John.2.14

You veterans know the One who started it all; and you newcomers--such vitality and strength! God's word is so steady in you. Your fellowship with God enables you to gain a victory over the Evil One.

1John.2.14

I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

1John.2.14

I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

1John.2.14

I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you who are mature because you know Christ, the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you who are young because you are strong with God's word living in your hearts, and you have won your battle with Satan.

1John.2.15

Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.

1John.2.15

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1John.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.

1John.2.15

Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you.

1John.2.16

Practically everything that goes on in the world--wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important--has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him.

1John.2.16

For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.

1John.2.16

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

1John.2.16

For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world.

1John.2.17

The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

1John.2.17

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

1John.2.17

And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

1John.2.17

And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.

1John.2.18

Children, time is just about up. You heard that Antichrist is coming. Well, they're all over the place, antichrists everywhere you look. That's how we know that we're close to the end.

1John.2.18

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

1John.2.18

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

1John.2.18

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the end of the world has come.

1John.2.19

They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.

1John.2.19

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

1John.2.19

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

1John.2.19

These people left our churches because they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left us, it proved that they do not belong with us.

1John.2.20

But you belong. The Holy One anointed you, and you all know it.

1John.2.20

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

1John.2.20

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

1John.2.20

But you are not like that, for the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and all of you know the truth.

1John.2.21

I haven't been writing this to tell you something you don't know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth doesn't breed lies.

1John.2.21

I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.

1John.2.21

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

1John.2.21

So I am writing to you not because you don't know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and falsehood.

1John.2.22

So who is lying here? It's the person who denies that Jesus is the Divine Christ, that's who. This is what makes an antichrist: denying the Father, denying the Son.

1John.2.22

Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son.

1John.2.22

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

1John.2.22

And who is the great liar? The one who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Such people are antichrists, for they have denied the Father and the Son.

1John.2.23

No one who denies the Son has any part with the Father, but affirming the Son is an embrace of the Father as well.

1John.2.23

No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

1John.2.23

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

1John.2.23

Anyone who denies the Son doesn't have the Father either. But anyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.

1John.2.24

Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father.

1John.2.24

See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

1John.2.24

Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1John.2.24

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.

1John.2.25

This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!

1John.2.25

And this is what he promised us--even eternal life.

1John.2.25

And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.

1John.2.25

And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.

1John.2.26

I've written to warn you about those who are trying to deceive you.

1John.2.26

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.

1John.2.26

These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.

1John.2.26

I have written these things to you because you need to be aware of those who want to lead you astray.

1John.2.27

But they're no match for what is embedded deeply within you--Christ's anointing, no less! You don't need any of their so-called teaching. Christ's anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught.

1John.2.27

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him.

1John.2.27

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

1John.2.27

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true--it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.

1John.2.28

And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we'll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives.

1John.2.28

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

1John.2.28

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

1John.2.28

And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.

1John.2.29

Once you're convinced that he is right and righteous, you'll recognize that all who practice righteousness are God's true children.

1John.2.29

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

1John.2.29

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1John.2.29

Since we know that God is always right, we also know that all who do what is right are his children.