1 Or, word 2 Many ancient authorities read your. 3 Or, Comforter Or, Helper Gr. Paraclete. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN. THAT which was from the beginning, that which 1 we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the 'Word of life (and the life was mani- 2 fested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); that 8 which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: and these things we write, that our 4 joy may be made full. 2 And this is the message which we have heard from 5 him, and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have 6 fellowship with him, and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as 7 he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our-8 selves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our 9 sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If 10 we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 3 My little children, these things write I unto you, 2 that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for 2 ours only, but also for the whole world. And hereby 3 know we that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not 4 his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in 5 him but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby know we 6 that we are in him: he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. 7 Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which 8 ye heard. Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light al9 ready shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now, 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and 11 there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. 12 I write unto you, my little children, because your 13 sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written 1Or, I wrote unto you, little children, because ye know the Father. 14'I have written unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of 16 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 vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the 17 world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth for 15 one. 18 ever. Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last 19 hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have con tinued with us: but they went out, that they might be 4 Some ancient authorities read you. 2 And 20 made manifest 1how that they all are not of us. 3 also. As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard 24 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 this is the promise which he 25 promised us, even the life eternal. These things have 26 I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray. And as for you, the anointing which ye 27 received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you Or, so it is concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him. And now, 28 my little children, abide in him; that, if he shall be manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed 'before him at his coming. If ye know that he is 29 righteous, 'ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him. true, and is no lie; and even as &c. • Or, abide ye 7 Gr. 8 Gr. presence. • Or, know 10 Or, it 11 Or, bear sins 12 Or, ye hath known 8 Behold what manner of love the Father hath be- 3 stowed 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, 2 now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if 1o he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. And every one that hath this hope 3 set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness and 4 sin is lawlessness. And ye know that he was mani- 5 fested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever 6 sinneth hath not seen him, neither 12 knoweth him. My little children, let no man lead you astray: he7 that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is 11 8 righteous: he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the 9 works of the devil. Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and 10 he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of 11 God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, 12 that we should love one another: not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, 1 because we love the brethren. He that loveth not 15 abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal 16 life abiding in him. Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down 17 our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of 18 God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and 19 truth. Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, 20 and shall assure our heart before him: because if 1Gr. persuade. our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, 2 Or, before 21 and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart con- him, where22 demn us not, we have boldness toward God; and heart conwhatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we demn us ; keep his commandments, and do the things that 23 are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Gr. believe Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave 24 us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us. 3 4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the insoever our because God &c. the name. 1 Some ancient authorities read annulleth Jesus. 2 Or, in our case spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know 2 ye the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every 3 spirit which 'confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already. Ye are of God, my little children, and have 4 overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. They are of the world: 5 therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God 6 heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of 7 God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not 8 God; for God is love. Herein was the love of God 9 manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that 10 he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought 11 to love one another. No man hath beheld God at 12 any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us: hereby know we that 13 we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have beheld and bear wit-14 ness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that 15 Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God. And we know and have believed the love 16 which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him. Herein is love made perfect with us, that we 17 may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as he is, even so are we in this world. There is no 18 fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love, because he first loved 19 |