New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
1 John 2
1
My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin. Then we have one who speaks to the Father for us. He stands up for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 4:4
1 John 3:18
References Christ
Romans 8:34
Hebrews 9:24
References Jesus
1 Timothy 2:5
John 14:6
Righteousness
2 Corinthians 5:21
1 John 3:7
Sin
John 8:11
1 John 3:5
2
He gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 4:14
John 4:42
John 12:32
Revelation 12:9
1 John 5:19
Sin
1 Peter 3:18
1 John 4:10
John 1:29
1 Peter 2:24
1 John 1:7
3
We know that we have come to know God if we obey his commands.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 6:46
John 15:14
1 John 4:13
Hebrews 5:9
1 John 3:19
John 17:3
Word
John 14:15
John 15:10
1 John 5:3
Psalm 119:32
4
Suppose someone says, "I know him." But suppose that person does not do what God commands. Then that person is a liar and is not telling the truth.
Reference
5
But if anyone obeys God's word, then God's love is truly made complete in that person. Here is how we know we belong to him.
Reference
Love
John 14:23
John 14:21
1 John 5:2
Parallel theme
Psalm 119:2
John 15:5
Ezekiel 36:27
Psalm 119:146
Word
Luke 11:28
1 John 3:24
Revelation 14:12
7
Dear friends, I'm not writing you a new command. Instead, I'm writing one you have heard before. You have had it since the beginning.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 19:18
1 John 3:11
Deuteronomy 6:5
Leviticus 19:34
1 John 2:24
Matthew 5:43
Word
1 John 3:23
8
But I am writing what amounts to a new command. Its truth was shown in how Jesus lived. It is also shown in how you live. The darkness is passing away. The true light is already shining.
Reference
Light
Ephesians 5:8
Romans 13:12
John 8:12
John 12:46
Acts 26:18
Parallel theme
Malachi 4:2
Acts 17:30
Truth
John 1:9
Word
John 13:34
1 John 4:21
9
Suppose someone claims to be in the light but hates his brother or sister. Then he is still in the darkness.
Reference
Darkness
1 John 2:11
Psalm 82:5
1 John 1:6
Parallel theme
1 John 4:20
2 Peter 1:9
1 John 2:4
John 9:41
10
Those who love their brothers and sisters are living in the light. There is nothing in them to make them fall into sin.
Reference
Love
1 John 3:14
Parallel theme
Romans 14:13
Hosea 6:3
2 Peter 1:10
Matthew 13:21
Matthew 18:7
John 8:31
Philippians 1:10
11
But those who hate a brother or sister are in the darkness. They walk around in the darkness. They don't know where they are going. The darkness has made them blind.
Reference
Darkness
John 12:35
1 John 1:6
Proverbs 4:19
1 John 2:9
Parallel theme
Revelation 3:17
Titus 3:3
John 12:40
2 Corinthians 4:4
2 Corinthians 3:14
12
Dear children, I'm writing to you because your sins have been forgiven. They have been forgiven because of what Jesus has done.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 4:12
Psalm 106:8
1 John 1:4
Sin
Acts 10:43
Acts 13:38
Ephesians 1:7
Colossians 1:14
Psalm 25:11
1 John 1:7
Luke 24:47
13
Fathers, I'm writing to you because you have known the One who is from the beginning. Young people, I'm writing to you because you have won the battle over the evil one. Dear children, I'm writing to you because you have known the Father.
Reference
Evil
1 John 2:14
1 John 5:18
1 John 3:12
Parallel theme
John 14:7
1 John 1:1
1 John 4:4
Luke 10:22
Matthew 11:27
John 17:3
Proverbs 20:29
14
Fathers, I'm writing to you because you have known the One who is from the beginning. Young people, I'm writing to you because you are strong. God's word lives in you. You have won the battle over the evil one.
Reference
Evil
1 John 2:13
Parallel theme
Ephesians 6:10
3 John 1:3
2 John 1:2
References God
Revelation 2:7
Word
Psalm 119:11
Colossians 3:16
John 15:7
John 5:38
John 8:31
15
Do not love the world or anything in it. If you love the world, love for the Father is not in you.
Reference
Love
Matthew 6:24
Luke 16:13
John 15:19
1 John 3:17
1 Timothy 6:10
Parallel theme
James 4:4
Romans 12:2
Galatians 1:10
Ephesians 2:2
1 John 4:5
16
Here is what people who belong to this world do. They try to satisfy what their sinful natures want to do. They long for what their sinful eyes look at. They brag about what they have and what they do. All of this comes from the world. It doesn't come from the Father.
Reference
17
The world and its evil longings are passing away. But those who do what God wants them to do live forever.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 24:35
1 Corinthians 7:31
John 4:14
References God
Romans 12:2
1 Peter 4:2
Hebrews 10:36
Mark 3:35
1 Peter 1:5
1 Thessalonians 4:3
Psalm 143:10
18
Dear children, we are living in the last days. You have heard that the great enemy of Christ is coming. But even now many enemies of Christ have already come. That's how we know that these are the last days.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 4:1
2 Peter 2:1
Matthew 24:11
2 Peter 3:3
References Christ
1 John 4:3
2 John 1:7
1 John 2:22
Matthew 24:24
Matthew 24:5
Mark 13:6
19
The enemies left our group. They didn't really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by leaving they showed that none of them belonged to us.
Reference
Creation
1 Corinthians 11:19
Parallel theme
Acts 20:30
Jude 1:19
Luke 8:13
Matthew 24:24
Acts 15:24
Mark 13:22
Deuteronomy 13:13
Job 17:9
Hebrews 10:39
20
You have received the Spirit from the Holy One. And all of you know the truth.
Reference
Holy
John 14:26
Acts 10:38
Parallel theme
1 John 2:27
Isaiah 61:1
Proverbs 28:5
Psalm 23:5
John 16:13
Hebrews 1:9
1 John 4:13
Psalm 45:7
21
I'm not writing to you because you don't know the truth but because you do know it. I'm writing to you because no lie comes from the truth.
Reference
22
Who is the liar? The person who says that Jesus is not the Christ. People who say that are the enemies of Christ. They say no to the Father and the Son.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 2:23
1 John 4:20
1 John 1:6
1 John 2:4
John 8:44
References Christ
1 John 2:18
References Jesus
2 John 1:7
1 John 4:3
Jude 1:4
23
Those who say no to the Son don't belong to the Father. But anyone who says yes to the Son belongs to the Father also.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 4:15
John 8:19
John 5:23
John 10:30
1 John 5:1
Matthew 11:27
Luke 10:22
1 John 2:22
24
Make sure that you don't forget what you have heard from the beginning. Then you will remain joined to the Son and to the Father.
Reference
25
That's what God has promised us. We have eternal life.
Reference
Covenant
Titus 1:2
Eternal Life
John 10:28
Titus 3:7
Jude 1:21
1 John 1:2
1 Timothy 6:12
Romans 5:21
Romans 2:7
John 6:68
John 12:50
26
I'm writing these things to warn you about those who are trying to lead you down the wrong path.
Reference
27
But you have received the Holy Spirit from God. He continues to live in you. So you don't need anyone to teach you. God's Spirit teaches you about everything. What he says is true. He doesn't lie. Remain joined to Christ, just as you have been taught by the Spirit.
Reference
28
Dear children, remain joined to Christ. Then when he comes, we can be bold. We will not be ashamed to meet him when he comes.
Reference
29
You know that God is right and always does what is right. And you know that everyone who does what is right has been born again because of what God has done.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 5:1
John 1:13
1 John 4:7
1 John 5:4
James 1:18
Hebrews 7:26
Righteousness
1 John 3:7
1 Peter 3:18
Acts 10:35
Acts 22:14
Summary of 1 John 2
1 John 2 teaches that Christians should pursue obedience without becoming discouraged by their continuing need for forgiveness, because Jesus Christ is their advocate and the sacrifice for their sins, while genuine knowledge of Him is demonstrated through obedience, Christlike living, sincere love for fellow believers, resistance to worldly desires, faithfulness to the original apostolic message, discernment against false teachers, and confidence in Christ's future appearing.
John begins by explaining that his purpose is to help believers avoid sin, while immediately providing reassurance that failure does not mean believers are without hope.
When Christians do sin, Jesus Christ serves as their advocate with the Father and provides the basis for forgiveness.
John then emphasizes that Jesus' saving work reaches beyond a small group because Christ is described as the sacrifice dealing with sin in a broad and universal sense.
A major theme of the chapter is the connection between knowing Christ and obeying Christ.
Anyone who claims to know Jesus but consistently refuses His commands is contradicting their own profession.
True knowledge of Christ produces obedience, while obedience demonstrates that God's love is genuinely becoming mature within a person's life.
John therefore gives a simple standard for Christian conduct: those who claim to remain in Christ should seek to live as Christ lived.
John then focuses strongly on love for fellow believers.
The command to love is described as both old and new because God's people already knew the principle of love, but Jesus gave it renewed meaning through His life and teaching.
A person cannot honestly claim to walk in God's light while deliberately hating another believer.
Love demonstrates that someone is walking in the light, while hatred produces spiritual blindness and threatens the unity of the Christian community.
John then reassures believers about their spiritual identity by reminding them that their sins have been forgiven and that they know the Father and have overcome the evil one.
He addresses believers at different stages of spiritual maturity, showing that children, young people, and mature believers all have reasons to remain confident in what God has done for them.
The chapter then warns Christians against loving the world.
John is not describing the physical creation as something evil but is warning against the system of desires, values, pride, and ambitions that operates in opposition to God.
He identifies three major expressions of this worldly system: sinful desires, cravings for what looks attractive, and pride in possessions and status.
These things are temporary, while the person who does God's will has an eternal future.
John then turns toward the danger of false teaching and opposition to Christ.
He warns that the “last time” is marked by the appearance of people he calls antichrists, meaning individuals who oppose or deny the truth about Jesus.
Some people have already left the Christian community, demonstrating through their departure that they no longer shared the apostolic faith.
John's concern is therefore not simply that Christians might encounter different opinions but that deceptive teaching might lead them away from the truth about Christ.
Believers have received an anointing from the Holy One, which John associates with spiritual understanding and discernment.
They should therefore remain grounded in the truth they originally received rather than being persuaded by teachings that deny Jesus' identity.
John identifies the central falsehood as denying that Jesus is the Christ, because rejecting the Son also means rejecting the Father.
The Christian message cannot separate God from His Son.
Believers are therefore encouraged to hold firmly to the original apostolic teaching they received because remaining faithful to that teaching means continuing in fellowship with both the Father and the Son.
John reminds them that eternal life is God's promise to those who remain in Christ.
He explains that he is writing because deceptive teachers are attempting to mislead them, but the Holy Spirit's presence helps believers remain grounded in the truth.
The chapter concludes by encouraging Christians to remain in Christ so that they can face His future appearing with confidence rather than shame.
Because Christ is righteous, those who have been born from God should increasingly demonstrate righteousness in their lives.
The central message of 1 John 2 is that Christians should pursue obedience and Christlike living while trusting Jesus as their advocate when they fail, demonstrating genuine knowledge of God through obedience, mature love for fellow believers, resistance to temporary worldly desires, careful discernment against teachings that deny Christ, faithfulness to the original apostolic message, and confident perseverance in Christ while awaiting His future appearing.
John begins by explaining that his purpose is to help believers avoid sin, while immediately providing reassurance that failure does not mean believers are without hope.
When Christians do sin, Jesus Christ serves as their advocate with the Father and provides the basis for forgiveness.
John then emphasizes that Jesus' saving work reaches beyond a small group because Christ is described as the sacrifice dealing with sin in a broad and universal sense.
A major theme of the chapter is the connection between knowing Christ and obeying Christ.
Anyone who claims to know Jesus but consistently refuses His commands is contradicting their own profession.
True knowledge of Christ produces obedience, while obedience demonstrates that God's love is genuinely becoming mature within a person's life.
John therefore gives a simple standard for Christian conduct: those who claim to remain in Christ should seek to live as Christ lived.
John then focuses strongly on love for fellow believers.
The command to love is described as both old and new because God's people already knew the principle of love, but Jesus gave it renewed meaning through His life and teaching.
A person cannot honestly claim to walk in God's light while deliberately hating another believer.
Love demonstrates that someone is walking in the light, while hatred produces spiritual blindness and threatens the unity of the Christian community.
John then reassures believers about their spiritual identity by reminding them that their sins have been forgiven and that they know the Father and have overcome the evil one.
He addresses believers at different stages of spiritual maturity, showing that children, young people, and mature believers all have reasons to remain confident in what God has done for them.
The chapter then warns Christians against loving the world.
John is not describing the physical creation as something evil but is warning against the system of desires, values, pride, and ambitions that operates in opposition to God.
He identifies three major expressions of this worldly system: sinful desires, cravings for what looks attractive, and pride in possessions and status.
These things are temporary, while the person who does God's will has an eternal future.
John then turns toward the danger of false teaching and opposition to Christ.
He warns that the “last time” is marked by the appearance of people he calls antichrists, meaning individuals who oppose or deny the truth about Jesus.
Some people have already left the Christian community, demonstrating through their departure that they no longer shared the apostolic faith.
John's concern is therefore not simply that Christians might encounter different opinions but that deceptive teaching might lead them away from the truth about Christ.
Believers have received an anointing from the Holy One, which John associates with spiritual understanding and discernment.
They should therefore remain grounded in the truth they originally received rather than being persuaded by teachings that deny Jesus' identity.
John identifies the central falsehood as denying that Jesus is the Christ, because rejecting the Son also means rejecting the Father.
The Christian message cannot separate God from His Son.
Believers are therefore encouraged to hold firmly to the original apostolic teaching they received because remaining faithful to that teaching means continuing in fellowship with both the Father and the Son.
John reminds them that eternal life is God's promise to those who remain in Christ.
He explains that he is writing because deceptive teachers are attempting to mislead them, but the Holy Spirit's presence helps believers remain grounded in the truth.
The chapter concludes by encouraging Christians to remain in Christ so that they can face His future appearing with confidence rather than shame.
Because Christ is righteous, those who have been born from God should increasingly demonstrate righteousness in their lives.
The central message of 1 John 2 is that Christians should pursue obedience and Christlike living while trusting Jesus as their advocate when they fail, demonstrating genuine knowledge of God through obedience, mature love for fellow believers, resistance to temporary worldly desires, careful discernment against teachings that deny Christ, faithfulness to the original apostolic message, and confident perseverance in Christ while awaiting His future appearing.