1Jo 2 | LSB | STEP | My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

1 John 2

Jesus Christ Our Advocate

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an ^{▼▼Gr Paracletos, one called alongside to help; or Intercessor}Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the ^{▼▼Or satisfaction}propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 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 him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8 ^{▼▼Lit Again}On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because ^{▼▼Or you have come to know}you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been 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.

Do Not Love the World

15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that ^{▼▼Lit they would be revealed}it would be manifested that they all are not of us. 20 ^{▼▼Lit And}But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and ^{▼▼Or know that}because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the ^{▼▼Or Anointed One, cf. 2:27}Christ? This is the ^{▼▼Or one against the Anointed One, cf. 2:27}antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, let that which you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which He Himself ^{▼▼Lit promised us}made to us: eternal life.

26 These things I have written to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 And as for you, the anointing whom you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as He has taught you, ^{▼▼Or you abide in Him; Gr indicative}abide in Him.

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He is manifested, we may have confidence and not ^{▼▼Lit be put to shame from Him}shrink away from Him in shame ^{▼▼Or in His presence}at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who does righteousness has been ^{▼▼Or begotten}born of Him.