2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2:2 Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. 2:3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn"t linger, and their destruction will not slumber. 2:4 For if G.o.d didn"t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 2:5 and didn"t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the unG.o.dly; 2:6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live unG.o.dly; 2:7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the l.u.s.tful life of the wicked 2:8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds): 2:9 the Lord knows how to deliver the G.o.dly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment; 2:10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the l.u.s.t of defilement, and despise authority.
Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries; 2:11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don"t bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord. 2:12 But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, 2:13 receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; 2:14 having eyes full of adultery, and who can"t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; 2:15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrong-doing; 2:16 but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man"s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. 2:18 For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the l.u.s.ts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; 2:19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.
2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 2:21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog turns to his own vomit again,"*
and "the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire."
3:1 This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you; 3:2 that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior: 3:3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own l.u.s.ts, 3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 3:5 For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of G.o.d; 3:6 by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.
3:7 But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of unG.o.dly men. 3:8 But don"t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pa.s.s away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 3:11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and G.o.dliness, 3:12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of G.o.d, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 3:13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
3:14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without blemish and blameless in his sight. 3:15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 3:16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Notes:
[1] back to 1:10 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."
[2] back to 1:17 Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35
[3] back to 2:2 TR reads "destructive" instead of "immoral"
[4] back to 2:4 Tartarus is another name for h.e.l.l
[5] back to 2:22 Proverbs 26:11
John"s First Letter
1:1 That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life 1:2 (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 1:4 And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.
1:5 This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that G.o.d is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don"t tell the truth. 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1:10 If we say that we haven"t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2:1 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. 2:2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. 2:3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. 2:4 One who says, "I know him," and doesn"t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn"t in him. 2:5 But whoever keeps his word, G.o.d"s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: 2:6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.
2:7 Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 2:8 Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is pa.s.sing away, and the true light already shines. 2:9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now. 2:10 He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. 2:11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn"t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
2:12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name"s sake.
2:13 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.
2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of G.o.d remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
2:15 Don"t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father"s love isn"t in him. 2:16 For all that is in the world, the l.u.s.t of the flesh, the l.u.s.t of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn"t the Father"s, but is the world"s. 2:17 The world is pa.s.sing away with its l.u.s.ts, but he who does G.o.d"s will remains forever.
2:18 Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. 2:19 They went out from us, but they didn"t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. 2:20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth. 2:21 I have not written to you because you don"t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 2:22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 2:23 Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn"t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.
2:24 Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. 2:25 This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. 2:26 These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don"t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. 2:28 Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.
3:1 Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of G.o.d! For this cause the world doesn"t know us, because it didn"t know him. 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of G.o.d, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. 3:3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure. 3:4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. 3:5 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. 3:6 Whoever remains in him doesn"t sin. Whoever sins hasn"t seen him, neither knows him.
3:7 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of G.o.d was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 3:9 Whoever is born of G.o.d doesn"t commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can"t sin, because he is born of G.o.d. 3:10 In this the children of G.o.d are revealed, and the children of the devil.
Whoever doesn"t do righteousness is not of G.o.d, neither is he who doesn"t love his brother. 3:11 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 3:12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him?
Because his works were evil, and his brother"s righteous. 3:13 Don"t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 3:14 We know that we have pa.s.sed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn"t love his brother remains in death. 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
3:16 By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 3:17 But whoever has the world"s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compa.s.sion against him, how does the love of G.o.d remain in him? 3:18 My little children, let"s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth. 3:19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him, 3:20 because if our heart condemns us, G.o.d is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 3:21 Beloved, if our hearts don"t condemn us, we have boldness toward G.o.d; 3:22 and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. 3:23 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. 3:24 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
4:1 Beloved, don"t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of G.o.d, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of G.o.d: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of G.o.d, 4:3 and every spirit who doesn"t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of G.o.d, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. 4:4 You are of G.o.d, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 4:5 They are of the world.
Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. 4:6 We are of G.o.d. He who knows G.o.d listens to us. He who is not of G.o.d doesn"t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of G.o.d; and everyone who loves is born of G.o.d, and knows G.o.d. 4:8 He who doesn"t love doesn"t know G.o.d, for G.o.d is love. 4:9 By this G.o.d"s love was revealed in us, that G.o.d has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved G.o.d, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 4:11 Beloved, if G.o.d loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.
4:12 No one has seen G.o.d at any time. If we love one another, G.o.d remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.
4:13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 4:14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of G.o.d, G.o.d remains in him, and he in G.o.d. 4:16 We know and have believed the love which G.o.d has for us. G.o.d is love, and he who remains in love remains in G.o.d, and G.o.d remains in him. 4:17 In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world. 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. 4:19 We love Him, because he first loved us. 4:20 If a man says, "I love G.o.d," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn"t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love G.o.d whom he has not seen? 4:21 This commandment we have from him, that he who loves G.o.d should also love his brother.
5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of G.o.d. Whoever loves the father also loves the child who is born of him. 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of G.o.d, when we love G.o.d and keep his commandments. 5:3 For this is the love of G.o.d, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. 5:4 For whatever is born of G.o.d overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of G.o.d? 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 5:7 For there are three who testify*: 5:8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of G.o.d is greater; for this is G.o.d"s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son. 5:10 He who believes in the Son of G.o.d has the testimony in himself. He who doesn"t believe G.o.d has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that G.o.d has given concerning his Son. 5:11 The testimony is this, that G.o.d gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 5:12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn"t have G.o.d"s Son doesn"t have the life. 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of G.o.d, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of G.o.d.
5:14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 5:15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the pet.i.tions which we have asked of him.
5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and G.o.d will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I don"t say that he should make a request concerning this. 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. 5:18 We know that whoever is born of G.o.d doesn"t sin, but he who was born of G.o.d keeps himself, and the evil one doesn"t touch him. 5:19 We know that we are of G.o.d, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 5:20 We know that the Son of G.o.d has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true G.o.d, and eternal life.
5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Notes:
[1] back to 2:1 Greek Parakleton: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comfortor.
[2] back to 2:2 "atoning sacrifice" is from the Greek "hilasmos," an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeas.e.m.e.nt or propitiation-- the sacrifice that turns away G.o.d"s wrath because of our sin.
[3] back to 4:10 "atoning sacrifice" is from the Greek "hilasmos," an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeas.e.m.e.nt or propitiation-- the sacrifice that turns away G.o.d"s wrath because of our sin.
[4] back to 5:7 Only a few recent ma.n.u.scripts add "in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth"