| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. | 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. |
| 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. | 2This is how we know that we love God's children when we love God and obey His commands. |
| 3In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, | 3For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, |
| 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. | 4because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. |
| 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. | 5And who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? |
| 6This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. | 6Jesus Christ--He is the One who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the One who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. |
| 7For there are three that testify: | 7For there are three that testify: |
| 8the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. | 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood--and these three are in agreement. |
| 9We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. | 9If we accept the testimony of men, God's testimony is greater, because it is God's testimony that He has given about His Son. |
| 10Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. | 10(The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him. The one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about His Son.) |
| 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. | 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. |
| 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. | 12The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life. |
| 13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. | 13I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. |
| 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. | 14Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. |
| 15And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him. | 15And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for. |
| 16If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. | 16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him--to those who commit sin that doesn't bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that. |
| 17All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. | 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin that does not bring death. |
| 18We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. | 18We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. |
| 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. | 19We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. |
| 20We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. | 20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One--that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
| 21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. | 21Little children, guard yourselves from idols. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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