| King James Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. | 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. |
| 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. | 2We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. |
| 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. | 3Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. |
| 4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. | 4For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. |
| 5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? | 5And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. |
| 6This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. | 6And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross —not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. |
| 7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. | 7So we have these three witnesses — |
| 8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. | 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. |
| 9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. | 9Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. |
| 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. | 10All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. |
| 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. | 11And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. |
| 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. | 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. Conclusion |
| 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. | 13I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. |
| 14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: | 14And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. |
| 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. | 15And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. |
| 16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. | 16If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. |
| 17All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. | 17All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death. |
| 18We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. | 18We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. |
| 19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. | 19We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. |
| 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. | 20And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. |
| 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. | 21Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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