1 1 We have seen, heard, and handled that which was from the beginning, the word of life.
4 We are writing to you to make you perfectly happy.
5 God is light. There's no darkness in him.
7 The blood of Jesus washes our sins away.
8 If we say we have no sins, we are lying to ourselves. And there is no truth in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he'll forgive us.
10 If we say we haven't sinned, we make him a liar, and his word isn't in us.
2 2 Jesus took away not just our sins, but the sins of the whole world.
9 Whoever claims to be in the light, but hates another person, is in the darkness.
10 Whoever loves others, is in the light.
11 Whoever hates another, is in darkness.
15 Don't love the world, or the things in the world.
18 The end of the world is here. You've heard that the antichrist will come. Now there are many antichrists, so we know the end is here.
19 They belonged to our group, but they left us. So we know they never belonged to us, or they'd have never left.
22 Who is a liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ is a liar. Whoever denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.
28 So be ready. Don't be ashamed when Jesus comes.
3 2 We are the sons of God. When Jesus comes, we'll be like him, and we'll see him as he really is.
6 Whoever lives with him, doesn't sin. Whoever sins, hasn't seen him and doesn't know him.
8 Whoever sins belongs to the devil.
9 Whoever is born of God, doesn't sin, and can't sin, because his seed stays in him.
10 That's how we can tell who is a child of God and who is a child of the devil.
11 This is the message you've heard from the beginning: Love one another.
15 Whoever hates another person is a murderer. No murderer has eternal life.
17 If you don't have compassion on a person who needs your help, how can you say the love of God is in you?
18 Don't just say you love others but show that you love them by helping them.
20-22 God knows everything, and gives us whatever we ask him for.
4 1 Don't believe every spirit. Because there're many false prophets out there.
2 Every spirit that says Jesus has come in the flesh is of God.
3 A spirit that says Jesus hasn't come in the flesh is not of God, but is the spirit of antichrist, which, as you've heard, is already in the world.
7 Love each other. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 Because God is love.
9-10 God sent his only begotten son to be a sacrifice for our sins.
12 No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, then God lives in us.
15 God lives in those who say that Jesus is the Son of God, and they live in God.
16 God is love, and those who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
18 There's no fear in love. Those who love have no fear. Whoever fears hasn't been made perfect in love.
20 If you say, "I love God" but hate your neighbor, you are a liar.
21 If you love God, you will love your neighbor too.
5 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone that loves God will love his children.
2 Whoever loves the children of God, loves God and keeps his commandments.
7 There are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood. And these three all agree.
Without the Son, you're dead and God's a liar
10 Whoever doesn't believe in the Son of God makes God a liar.
12 Whoever has the Son is alive. Whoever doesn't, is dead.
16 Pray for those who have sinned (as long as their sin isn't a deadly sin), and they will live.
But don't pray for those who have committed a deadly sin.
17 All unrighteousness is sin, but there are deadly sins.
18 Those who are born of God, don't sin.
19 We know we are of God, and the rest of the world is wicked.
21 Stay away from idols. Amen.
1 From the elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth.
5 Now I beg you, lady, not as though this is a new commandment, but as one we had from the beginning: Love one another.
7 There are many deceivers who deny that Jesus has come in the flesh. Anyone who says this is a deceiver and an antichrist.
9 Whoever doesn't accept the doctrine of Christ, doesn't have God.
Whoever accepts it, has both the Father and the Son.
10 So if anyone doesn't bring this doctrine, don't welcome them into your house or wish them well.
11 Anyone who associates with them is guilty of their evil deeds.
12 I have much more to say, but I'll wait until I see you again.
13 The children of your elect sister send their regards. Amen.
1 From the elder to the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love.
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to be honored, didn't receive us.
10 If I come, I'll remember what he did, saying bad things about us.
11 Do good, avoid evil. Whoever does good is of God. Whoever does evil hasn't seen God.
13 I had many things to write, but I'll tell you when I see you face to face.
14 Say hi to everyone.
This is the clearest, and pretty much the only, expression of the Trinitarian concept in the Bible. It is not, however, found in the earliest Greek manuscripts and is omitted from most modern translations. Here, for example, are verses 7-8 in the New Revised Standard Version: "There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree."
Not all Christians agree about how these verses (often called the Johannine comma) should be treated. See here for a KJV-only defense.
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