Overcoming the World

1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, has been be gotten of God: and every one that loves him that begot, loves him also that is begotten of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not burdensome. 4For whatever is begotten of God, overcomes the world; and this is the victorious principle that overcomes the world, even our faith.

5Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he that came by water and by blood, Jesus the Christ; not by water only, but by water and by blood: and it is the Spirit that testifies, because the Spirit is truth. 7For there are three that testify, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; 8and the three agree in one.

God’s Testimony about His Son

9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: for this is the testimony of God, which he has borne concerning his Son. 10He that believes on the Son of God has the testimony in himself: he that believes not God, has made him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony which God has borne concerning his Son. 11And this is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life: and this life is in his Son. 12He that has the Son, has life: he that has not the Son of God, has not life.

Effective Prayer

13I have written these things to you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

16If any one see his brother sinning a sin not to death, he shall ask, and he will give him life for those who sin not to death. There is a sin to death: I do not say concerning this, that he should ask. 17All unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not to death.

The True God

18We know that whoever has been begotten of God, does not sin: but he that is begotten of God, keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not. 19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the wicked one. 20And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, that we may know him that is true: and we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and life eternal.

21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.