What existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we observed and touched with our own hands this is the Word of life!

This life was revealed to us, and we have seen it and testify about it. We declare to you this eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.

what we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship [as partners] with us. And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

And we are writing all this to you that our joy may be complete.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

My little children [i.e., dear ones], I am writing this to you so that you will not sin anymore. But if anyone does sin, we have Someone to go to the Father on our behalf; it is Jesus Christ, the [only] righteous One.

and in this we know that we have known him, if his commands we may keep;

The one who says "I have come to know him," and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person.

and whoever may keep his word, truly in him the love of God hath been perfected; in this we know that in him we are.

My loved ones, I do not give you a new law, but an old law which you had from the first; this old law is the word which came to your ears.

Yet, I am [also] writing to you about a new commandment [Note: This commandment was to love one another as Jesus loved them. See John 13:34]; its truth is [being demonstrated] by Christ [perfectly] and [also] by you people [in a lesser measure], because the darkness [of sin] is passing away, and the real light [of righteousness] is already shining [in people's lives].

He that saith how that he is in the light, and yet hateth his brother, is in darkness even until this time.

You should not love the [godless] world, nor the things [i.e., the materialistic values] that are part of this [present] age. If any person loves the world, a [genuine] love for the Father is not in his heart.

because this is all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.

They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been indeed of us, they would have continued with us; but this was done that they might be made manifest, because all, that are with us, are not indeed of us.

I have not sent you this letter because you have no knowledge of what is true, but because you have knowledge, and because that which is false has nothing in common with that which is true.

Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son.

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

These things I have written to you with reference to those who are trying to deceive you [seducing you and leading you away from the truth and sound doctrine].

The anointing you received from God abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you this. Instead, because God's anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not a lie, abide in him, as he taught you to do.

If 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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Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and'such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Dearly loved ones, we are God's children now, but it has not yet been revealed [to us] what we will be [in the future life, Luke 20:34-36]. But, we do know this, however, that when Jesus is revealed [i.e., at His second coming], we will be like Him [I Cor. 15:49], for we will see what He really looks like!

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

in this we have known the love, because he for us his life did lay down, and we ought for the brethren the lives to lay down;

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

and in this we know that of the truth we are, and before Him we shall assure our hearts,

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

and he who is keeping His commands, in Him he doth remain, and He in him; and in this we know that He doth remain in us, from the Spirit that He gave us.

in this know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that doth confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is,

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

They are of the world; for this reason they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

in this is the love, not that we loved God, but that He did love us, and did send His Son a propitiation for our sins.

Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

in this we know that in Him we do remain, and He in us, because of His Spirit He hath given us.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Fear is not in this love; but the perfect love casteth out fear: for fear hath anguish. He that is afraid is not made perfect in love.

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

This 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.

The Spirit is the witness to this, for the Spirit is truth.

If 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.

The one who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies confidently on Him as Savior] has the testimony within himself [because he can speak authoritatively about Christ from his own personal experience]. The one who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him [out to be] a liar, because he has not believed in the evidence that God has given regarding His Son.

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

The person who has the Son has this life. The person who does not have the Son of God does not have this life.

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God [which represents all that Jesus Christ is and does], so that you will know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have eternal life.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request.

And 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.