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Christ Is Our Advocate

^1 (C1)My little children, I am ^(C2)writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(C3)we have an ^(F1)(C4)Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;² and He Himself is ^(C1)the ^(F1)propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also ^(C2)for the sins of the whole world.

^3 (C1)By this we know that we have come to ^(C2)know Him, if we ^(C3)keep His commandments.⁴ The one who says, "^(C1)I have come to ^(C2)know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a ^(C3)liar, and ^(C4)the truth is not in him;⁵ but whoever ^(C1)follows His word, in him the ^(C2)love of God has truly been perfected. ^(C3)By this we know that we are in Him:⁶ the one who says that he ^(C1)remains in Him ^(C2)ought, himself also, to walk just as He walked.

^7 (C1)Beloved, I am ^(C2)not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had ^(C3)from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.^8 (F1)On the other hand, I am writing ^(C1)a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because ^(C2)the darkness is passing away and ^(C3)the true Light is already shining.⁹ The one who says that he is in the Light and yet ^(C1)hates his ^(C2)brother or sister is in the darkness until now.^10 (C1)The one who loves his brother and sister remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause stumbling.¹¹ But the one who ^(C1)hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and ^(C2)walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has ^(C3)blinded his eyes.

¹² I am writing to you, ^(C1)little children, because ^(C2)your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name.¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him ^(C1)who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because ^(C2)you have overcome ^(C3)the evil one. I have written to you, children, because ^(C4)you know the Father.¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him ^(C1)who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are ^(C2)strong, and the ^(C3)word of God remains in you, and ^(C4)you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

¹⁵ Do not love ^(C1)the world nor the things in the world. ^(C2)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.¹⁶ For all that is in the world, ^(C1)the lust of the flesh and ^(C2)the lust of the eyes and ^(C3)the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.^17 (C1)The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who ^(C2)does the will of God continues to live forever.

¹⁸ Children, ^(C1)it is the last hour; and just as you heard that ^(C2)antichrist is coming, ^(C3)even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.^19 (C1)They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, ^(C2)so that ^(F1)it would be evident that they all are not of us.^20 (F1)But you have an ^(C1)anointing from ^(C2)the Holy One, and ^(C3)you all know.²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but ^(C1)because you do know it, and ^(F1)because no lie is ^(C2)of the truth.²² Who is the liar except ^(C1)the one who denies that Jesus is the ^(F1)Christ? This is ^(C2)the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.^23 (C1)Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.²⁴ As for you, see that what you heard ^(C1)from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also ^(C2)will remain in the Son and in the Father.

The Promise Is Eternal Life

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to ^(C1)deceive you.²⁷ And as for you, the ^(C1)anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing ^(C2)teaches you about all things, and is ^(C3)true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, ^(F1)you remain in Him.

²⁸ Now, ^(C1)little children, remain in Him, so that when He ^(C2)appears, we may have ^(C3)confidence and ^(C4)not ^(F1)draw back from Him in shame ^(F2)at His ^(C5)coming.²⁹ If you know that ^(C1)He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also ^(C2)has been born of Him.