1 John
1:1–2:14
Prologue
What
was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we have observed,
and have touched with our hands,
concerning the Word of life—
that life was revealed,
and we have seen it
and we testify and declare to you
the eternal life that was with the
Father
and was revealed to us —
what we have seen and heard
we also declare to you,
so that you may have fellowship
along with us;
and indeed our fellowship is with
the Father
and with His Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing these things
so that our joy may be complete.
Fellowship
with God
Now this is the message we have
heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no
darkness in Him. If we say, "We have fellowship with Him," and walk
in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in
the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say, "We
have no sin," we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, "We have not sinned,"
we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, I am writing you
these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an
advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous One. He Himself is the
propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the
whole world.
God’s
Commands
This is how we are sure that we have
come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who says, "I have come
to know Him," without keeping His commands, is a liar, and the truth is
not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is
perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: the one who says he remains in
Him should walk just as He walked.
Dear friends, I am not writing you a
new command, but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old
command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command,
which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the
true light is already shining.
The one who says he is in the light
but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his
brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But
the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t
know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Reasons
for Writing
I am
writing to you, little children,
because your sins have been forgiven
on account of His name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have come to know the
One who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have had victory over
the evil one.
I have written to you, children,
because you have come to know the
Father.
I have written to you, fathers,
because you have come to know the
One who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong,
God’s word remains in you,
and you have had victory over the
evil one. (HCS)
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This reading is taken from 30 Scripture
Readings on Getting to Know God. The complete book can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZK5HAK/ref=nosim?tag=hudsonbcom-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549
HOLY BIBLE, CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION copyright © 1997,
1997 by the American Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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