1 John 2

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1My dear children, I write these things so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a helper who speaks to the Father for us. That helper is Jesus Christ, who always does what is right.

2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

2Jesus gave himself to take away our sins. He did this not only for our sins. He did it for the sins of the whole world.

NoteThe old word "propitiation" in verse 2 means the gift Jesus gave to take sin away.

3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

3Here is how we can be sure we really know him. We know him if we do what he tells us to do.

4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

4Someone may say, "I know him," but not do what he says. That person is lying, and the truth is not in him.

5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

5But when someone obeys God's word, God's love is made complete in that person. This is how we know that we belong to him.

6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

6Someone may say he stays close to Jesus. Then he should live the way Jesus lived.

7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

7Dear friends, I am not writing a new rule for you. It is an old rule you have had from the very start. This old rule is the message you already heard.

8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

8And yet it is also a new rule I am writing to you. It is true in Jesus, and it is true in you. The dark is going away, and the true light is already shining.

9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

9Someone may say he is in the light. But if he hates his brother, he is still in the dark.

10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

10Whoever loves his brother stays in the light. There is nothing in him that makes anyone trip and fall.

11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

11But whoever hates his brother is in the dark. He walks in the dark and does not know where he is going. The dark has made his eyes blind.

12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

12I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins are forgiven through Jesus' name.

13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know the one who has been there from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have beaten the evil one. I am writing to you, children, because you know the Father.

14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

14I have written to you, fathers, because you know the one who has been there from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong. God's word stays in you, and you have beaten the evil one.

15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love is not in him.

16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

16Here is what fills the world: wanting what our bodies crave, wanting what our eyes see, and being proud of what we have. None of that comes from the Father. It comes from the world.

17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

17The world is passing away, and so is everything people want in it. But whoever does what God wants will live forever.

18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

18Dear children, this is the last hour. You have heard that the antichrist is coming. Even now many antichrists have come. That is how we know it is the last hour.

Note"Antichrist" means someone who is against Christ.

19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

19They left our group, but they never really belonged to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have stayed. Their leaving showed that none of them belonged to us.

20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

20But the Holy One has given you a gift that marks you as his. And all of you know the truth.

NoteThe old word "unction" in verse 20 means anointing. Anointing was pouring oil on someone to show they belonged to God. Here it means a gift God gives to his people.

21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

21I am not writing to you because you do not know the truth. I am writing because you do know it. And no lie ever comes from the truth.

22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

22Who is the liar? It is the person who says Jesus is not the Christ, the king God promised to send. That person is an antichrist. He says no to the Father and to the Son.

23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

23Whoever says no to the Son does not have the Father either. Whoever says yes to the Son has the Father too.

24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

24So keep in you what you heard from the very start. If it stays in you, you will stay in the Son and in the Father.

25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

25And this is what he promised us: life that lasts forever.

26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

26I have written these things to you about the people who are trying to fool you.

NoteIn 1611, "seduce" meant to lead someone the wrong way or trick them. It does not mean what it means today.

27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

27The gift you received from him stays in you. So you do not need anyone else to teach you. His gift teaches you about everything, and it is true and not a lie. Just as it taught you, stay close to him.

28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

28And now, dear children, stay close to him. Then when he appears, we can be glad and unafraid. We will not have to hide our faces when he comes.

29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

29You know that he always does what is right. So you also know this: everyone who does what is right is God's child.