The First Epistle General of John

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

My little sons, this I write to you, so that you may not sin. But if anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One.

And he is the propitiation for our sins. And not only for our sins, but also for those of the whole world.

And we can be sure that we have known him by this: if we observe his commandments.(a)

Whoever claims that he knows him, and yet does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the charity of God is perfected. And by this we know that we are in him.

Whoever declares himself to remain in him, ought to walk just as he himself walked.

A New Commandment

Most beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but the old commandment, which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word, which you have heard.

Then too, I am writing to you a new commandment, which is the Truth in him and in you. For the darkness has passed away, and the true Light is now shining.(b)

Whoever declares himself to be in the light, and yet hates his brother, is in the darkness even now.

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause of offense in him.

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness, and in darkness he walks, and he does not know where he is going. For the darkness has blinded his eyes.

I am writing to you, little sons, because your sins are forgiven for the sake of his name.

I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, adolescents, because you have overcome the evil one.

I am writing to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I am writing 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

Do not choose to love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world is the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the arrogance of a life which is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world is passing away, with its desire. But whoever does the will of God abides unto eternity.

Beware of Antichrists

Little sons, it is the last hour. And, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have arrived. By this, we know that it is the last hour.(c)

(d)

They went out from among us, but they were not of us. For, if they had been of us, certainly they would have remained with us. But in this way, it is made manifest that none of them are of us.(e)

Yet you have the anointing of the Holy One, and you know everything.(f)

(g)

I have not written to you as to ones who are ignorant of the truth, but as to ones who know the truth. For no lie is of the truth.

Who is a liar, other than he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

No one who denies the Son also has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son, also has the Father.

Remain in Christ

As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you, too, shall abide in the Son and in the Father.

And this is the Promise, which he himself has promised to us: Eternal Life.(h)

I have written these things to you, because of those who would seduce you.

But as for you, let the Anointing that you have received from him abide in you. And so, you have no need of anyone to teach you. For his Anointing teaches you about everything, and it is the truth, and it is not a lie. And just as his Anointing has taught you, abide in him.(i)

And now, little sons, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have faith, and we may not be confounded by him at his advent.

If you know that he is just, then know, too, that all who do what is just are born of him.

Footnotes

(a)2:3 We have known him, if we keep his commandments:He speaks of that practical knowledge by love and affection, which can only be proved by our keeping his commandments; and without which we can not be said to know God as we should do.(Challoner)

(b)2:8 A new commandment:Viz., the commandment of love, which was first given in the old law; but was renewed and extended by Christ. See John. 13:34.(Challoner)

(d)2:18 Many Antichrists;:that is, many heretics, enemies of Christ and his church, and forerunners of the great Antichrist.(Challoner)

(e)2:19 They were not of us:That is, they were not solid, steadfast, genuine Christians: otherwise they would have remained in the church.(Challoner)

(f)2:20 The unction from the Holy One:That is, grace and wisdom from the Holy Ghost.(Challoner)

(g)2:20 Know all things:The true children of God’s church, remaining in unity, under the guidance of their lawful pastors, partake of the grace of the Holy Ghost, promised to the church and her pastors; and have in the church all necessary knowledge and instruction; so as to have no need to seek it elsewhere, since it can be only found in that society of which they are members.(Challoner)

(h)2:25 The Promise, and the Life, and the Anointing, is the Holy Spirit.(Conte)

(i)2:27 You have no need, etc:You want not to be taught by any of these men, who, under pretence of imparting more knowledge to you, seek to seduce you (ver. 26), since you are sufficiently taught already, and have all knowledge and grace in the church, with the unction of the Holy Ghost; which these new teachers have no share in.(Challoner)

My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor(a) with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.

And he is the atoning sacrifice(b) for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.

But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him:

he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

A New Commandment

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.

Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines.

He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness even until now.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.

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.

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

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.

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 God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.

The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.

Beware of Antichrists

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.

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.

You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.(c)

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.

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.

Whoever denies the Son doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

Remain in Christ

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.

This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.

These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.

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.

Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 Greek παρακλητον: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter.

(b)2:2 “atoning sacrifice” is from the Greek “ιλασμος”, an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation—the sacrifice that turns away God’s wrath because of our sin.