| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. | 1My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ the Righteous One. |
| 2He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. | 2He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. |
| 3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. | 3This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. |
| 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. | 4The one who says, "I have come to know Him," yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. |
| 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: | 5But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: |
| 6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked. | 6The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. |
| 7Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. | 7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. |
| 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining. | 8Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. |
| 9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. | 9The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. |
| 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. | 10The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. |
| 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. | 11But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. |
| 12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven through His name. | 12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus' name. |
| 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 have written to you, children, because you know the Father. | 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have had victory over the evil one. |
| 14I have written to you, fathers, because you know 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 evil one. | 14I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God's word remains in you, and you have had victory over the evil one. |
| 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | 15Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. |
| 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. | 16For everything that belongs to the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's lifestyle--is not from the Father, but is from the world. |
| 17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever. | 17And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever. |
| 18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. | 18Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, "Antichrist is coming," even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. |
| 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. | 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. |
| 20You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. | 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. |
| 21I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. | 21I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. |
| 22Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. | 22Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. |
| 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. | 23No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. |
| 24As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. | 24What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. |
| 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. | 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. |
| 26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. | 26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. |
| 27And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. | 27The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don't need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him. |
| 28And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. | 28So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. |
| 29If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him. | 29If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. |
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