1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (羅8:34; 提前2:5; 來7:25)2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (约1:29; 约4:42; 约11:51; 约12:32; 羅3:25; 林后5:18; 西1:20; 约一4:10; 约一4:14)3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. (约14:15; 约15:10)4Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, (约8:44; 约一1:8)5but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: (约14:23; 约一3:24; 约一4:12; 约一4:13; 约一5:2; 约一5:3)6whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (太11:29; 约15:4; 约15:7)
The New Commandment
7Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. (利19:18; 约一2:24; 约一3:11; 约二1:5)8At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because[1] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (约1:9; 约8:12; 约13:34; 羅13:12; 弗5:8; 帖前5:4)9Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (多3:3; 约一3:14; 约一4:20)10Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him[2] there is no cause for stumbling. (箴4:19; 约11:10; 彼后1:10)11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (约一1:6)12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (路24:47; 徒10:43; 徒13:38)13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. (约14:7; 弗6:10; 约一1:1; 约一5:4)14I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (约一2:13)
Do Not Love the World
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (羅12:2; 提后4:10; 雅4:4)16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[3]—is not from the Father but is from the world. (传4:8; 传5:11; 羅13:14; 弗2:3; 彼前4:2; 彼后2:18)17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (林前7:31)
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. (太24:5; 太24:24; 提前4:1; 提后3:1; 雅5:3; 彼后3:3; 约一2:22; 约一4:1; 约一4:3; 约二1:7; 犹1:18)19They 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 it might become plain that they all are not of us. (申13:13; 约17:12; 徒20:30; 林前11:19)20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.[4] (可1:24; 约14:26; 林后1:21; 约一2:27)21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.22Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. (约一2:18; 约一4:3; 约二1:7)23No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. (约一4:15; 约一5:1; 约二1:9)24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. (约14:23; 约一1:3; 约一3:11; 约二1:6)25And this is the promise that he made to us[5]—eternal life. (约17:2)26I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. (约一3:7; 约二1:7)27But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (耶31:34; 约14:17; 來8:11; 约一2:20)
Children of God
28And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. (西3:4; 帖前2:19; 约一3:2; 约一3:21; 约一4:17; 约一5:14)29If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. (约一3:7; 约一3:9; 约一4:7; 约一5:1; 约一5:4; 约一5:18; 约三1:11)