Jesus Our Advocate
Study note
John writes so that believers will not sin, yet acknowledges the reality that they will. When they do, they have an advocate with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the atoning sacrifice not only for their sins but for the sins of the whole world. This establishes both the goal of sinlessness and the provision for failure.
1 My dear children, I am writing to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have someone who speaks up for us before the Father -- Jesus Christ, who always does what is right. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 Jesus is the one who made things right between us and God by taking the punishment for our sins. And not just for ours -- he did it for the sins of the whole world. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Knowing God Through Obedience
Study note
John provides a clear test of genuine relationship with God: keeping his commandments. Anyone who claims to know God but disobeys is a liar. But whoever keeps God's word experiences the love of God made complete within them. The one who claims to remain in Christ must walk as Christ walked.
3 Here is how you can know for sure that you truly know God: you follow what he tells you to do. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 If someone says, "I know God," but does not do what God says, that person is lying. The truth is not in them. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But when someone follows God's word, God's love has truly reached its goal in that person's life. That is how we know we are living in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 If you say you are living in God, you should live the same way Jesus lived. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
The Command to Love
Study note
John writes about a commandment that is both old and new: love for one another. The old commandment has been heard from the beginning, yet it is new because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever claims to be in the light but hates a fellow believer is still in darkness. Whoever loves lives in the light and causes no stumbling, but the one who hates walks in darkness, blinded and lost.
7 Dear friends, I am not giving you some new rule. This is the same old rule you have known since the very beginning. It is the message you heard from the start. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 And yet I am writing you something new. It is true in Jesus and true in you, because the darkness is fading away and the real light is already shining. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 If someone says they are living in the light but hates a fellow believer, they are still stuck in the dark. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 The person who loves their fellow believer is living in the light. There is nothing in their life that will make them or anyone else trip up. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But the person who hates a fellow believer is walking around in the dark. They have no idea where they are going because the darkness has blinded them. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Assurance for Different Stages of Faith
Study note
John addresses his readers at three levels of spiritual maturity: little children whose sins are forgiven, fathers who have known God from the beginning, and young men who have overcome the evil one and in whom the word of God abides. This passage provides assurance and encouragement tailored to each stage of the spiritual journey.
12 Dear children, I am writing to you because your sins have been forgiven because of what Jesus has done. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
13 Fathers, I am writing to you because you know the one who has been there from the very beginning. Young people, I am writing to you because you have beaten the evil one. Little children, I am writing to you because you know the Father. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 Fathers, I wrote to you because you know the one who has been there from the very beginning. Young people, I wrote to you because you are strong. God's word lives inside you, and you have won the fight against the evil one. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Warning Against Loving the World
Study note
John issues a direct command: do not love the world or the things in it. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life do not come from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires are passing away, but whoever does God's will lives forever. This stark contrast calls believers to choose eternal values over temporary pleasures.
15 Do not fall in love with the world or the things it offers. When someone loves the world, there is no room inside them for the Father's love. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 Here is everything the world pushes on you: wanting to satisfy your body, wanting whatever looks appealing, and being proud of what you own and achieve. None of that comes from the Father. It all comes from the world. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 The world and all the things people crave in it are fading away. But whoever does what God wants will live forever. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Antichrists and the Anointing of Truth
Study note
John warns that it is the last hour, evidenced by the appearance of many antichrists who have departed from the community of faith. Their departure proved they never truly belonged. John identifies the antichrist as anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ, thereby denying both the Father and the Son. But believers have received an anointing from the Holy One that teaches them all things and is true. They do not need false teachers, because the Spirit's anointing remains in them.
18 Dear children, the final hour is here. You have heard that the antichrist is coming. Well, many antichrists have already appeared. That is how we know we are in the final hour. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They left our group, but they never truly belonged to us. If they had truly been part of us, they would have stayed. When they left, it showed that none of them truly belonged with us. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But you have received a special anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I did not write to you because you do not know the truth. I wrote because you do know it, and you know that no lie has anything to do with the truth. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 So who is the real liar? It is the person who says Jesus is not the Christ. That is the antichrist -- the one who rejects both the Father and the Son. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Anyone who rejects the Son does not have the Father either. But whoever accepts the Son also has the Father. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Hold tightly to the message you have heard since the very beginning. If that message stays alive in you, then you will stay connected to the Son and to the Father. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is what he promised us: eternal life. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26 I am writing to warn you about people who are trying to trick you and lead you down the wrong road. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27 But the anointing you received from God stays with you. You do not need anyone else to be your teacher. His anointing teaches you about everything you need to know. It is real and not fake. Just as it has taught you, stay connected to him. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Remain in Christ
Study note
John urges his readers to remain in Christ so that when he appears, they may have confidence and not shrink back in shame. Everyone who practices righteousness has been born of God. This closing exhortation links perseverance in faith to assurance at Christ's coming.
28 And now, dear children, stay closely connected to Christ. Then when he appears, we will be full of confidence and not be embarrassed when he comes. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29 You know that God always does what is right. So you can be sure that everyone who does right has been born into his family. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.