3:12 2 P E TE R 410

Is 34:4 : 51:
6+ saintly lives -while you wait and long for the Day of God to come, when the sky 12
Rm 8:21
Heb 12:27+ will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat .•What we are waiting 13
R v 20:11 +
Is 65:17 ; for is what he pro mised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where right-
66:22
R v 21: 1.27 eousness will be at hom e. -So then, my friends , while you are waiting , do you r 14
Is 60:21
Rm8: 19 + best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. •Think of 15
IIJud e 24
] Tm ]:15·/6 our Lord's pat ience as your opportunity to be saved: our broth er Paul, who is so
dear to us, told you this when he wrote to you with the wisdom that is his special
gift. -He always writes like this when he deals with this sort of subject, and this 16
1 JO H N
ma kes some points- in his letter hard to unde rstand ; these are the points that
uneducated and unbalanced people disto rt, in the same way as they distort the rest
He b2: 1
of scripture--ca fatal thin g for them to do. ' You have been warned about this, 17 THE FIR ST LETTER OF JOHN
my friend s; be careful not to get carried away by the errors of un principled
people , from the firm ground that you are standing on . -Instead, go on growin g IS
in the grace and in the knowled ge of our Lord and saviou r Jesus Christ. To him I N T R O D U C TION
Rm 16:27 +
be glory, in time and in eternity. Amen.
The incarnate Word

1 1 Somethi ng which has existed since the beginnin g,

that we have heard,
2:13
I n 1:1-5
Ac 22:15--
and we have seen with our own eyes; In i t 20.25.
that we have watched
and touched with ou r hands: Lk 24:39
the Word, who is life- In 1: 1+ : 3:
11 +
this is our subject.
T hat life was made visible:
we saw it and we are giving our testimony, In 1:14 + ;
15:27
telling you of the eternal life 5:20
which was with the Father a nd has been made visible to us.
What we have seen and heard 2:3.19.24.29
Ac 4:20: 26:
we are telling you 16
so that you too may be in union - with us, Ac 2:4 2f
as we are in union
with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 Co 1:9
In 15:11;
We are writing this to you to make ou r own" joy complete. 16:22-24
2 In 12

1. WALK IN THE LIGHT

This is what we have heard from him, 3:1 1

and the message that we are an nou ncing to you:
God is light; there is no dar kness in him at all. O n 2:22
In 8:12+
If we say that we are in union with Gods I Tm 6: 16
Jm 1:17
while we are living in dark ness,
we are lying beca use we are not living the tru th. I n 3:2 1
But if we live our lives in the light,
as he is in the light ,
we are in union with one another,"
1 a. Lit. ' have fellowsh ip ' (so al so in v. 7). T his cf . 1:7 + . .
7Z
~~
uni o n is the idea mo st central to John 's mysticism , b , 'ou r own' , var. (V ul g.) ' your',
In 14:20 : 15:1-6; 17:11,20-26 : u nio n between all c. Li t. 'him ' , In thi s tr a nsla t ion the pronoun has.
C h ristians result s from the un io n created by Christ been re ndered 'God' . or 'Chr ist ', w he re it seemed
between ea ch C hr ist ia n a nd God . This u n io n is re ferr ed neces sary for the se nse,
to in d ifferent ways: a C h rist ia n lives 'in' God a nd d. G od is in C hr is tia ns , 1:3 -t-, as the pri nciple of
G od lives ' in ' him. I In 2:5.6 .24.2 7: 3:6.24: 4 :12,13 .15,
16 ; a C hr istia n is begotten by G od . has new life from
the ir ne w life . Since God is ligh t, I :5, virtue, 2:29. and
lo ve, 4 :8.1 6, whoever lives in un io n with God m u st
...,
OJ

3 b . Abou t the oarousta , pr es u mably , s ince t hat is
the subi cct under discussion .
i. This implies that the lett ers of Pa ul wer e
considered canonical.
him, 2 :2~ ; 3:9 : 4:7 : 5: I, 18: the C hr is t ia n is from G od .
is h is child, 2: 16 ; 3: 10: 4:4-6 ; 5:19 ; the C hr ist ia n know s
C o d. 2:3. 13,14; 3:6; 4:7,8 (on knowledge a nd presence
er, In 14: 17 ; 2 In 1-2) , This un io n with God shows
itsel f in a p erson's fai th and in h is love fo r the brothers,
live a life of light , vi rtue an d lov e, and keep God's
comma ndment s. es pec ia lly th e c o m m a nd m e nt 10 lo ve
all human be in gs. 2: 10,11 ; 3:10 ; 4 :8, 16, Faith a nd lo ve
are th us th e visib le evidence of true u nion wi th God,
1:6,7 : 2:3. 6: 3:6 ,10 ,17 ,24 : 4:6.8.13.16.20. >
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 1:8 1 JOH N JO HN 2 :20
41 2 4 13
M 1 26:28p
Rm 3:24- an d the bloo d of Jes us, his So n, T hird condition : detachment from the world
25 +
R v 1:5 pu rifies us fro m all sin . 12 I am writing to yo u, my own children , 1 P 5:5 +
1·7 · 2"'')
First condition: break with sin whose sins have already been for given thr ou gh his nam e; Ac '3:i6+
I am writing to yo u, fathers, I Co 6:11
Pr 20:9 13
007:20 If we say we have no sin in us, who have co me to know the o ne
Si 8:5
we are deceivi ng o urse lves who has existed since the beginn ing ; 1:1
In 1:1
and refusing to admit the trut h;' [ am writin g to you , young men,
Pc 28:13 +
Jm 5:16+ but if we acknowledge our sins, who have alre ady overcome the Evil O ne; Ep6:1 6
then God who is faithful and just 14 I have written- to you, children ,
Ps32: 1+
Mt6:12p will forgive our sins and pur ify us becau se you already know th e Fat her ;
fro m everything that is wro ng. [ have written to you , fath ers,
To say that we ha ve never sinned 10 because yo u ha ve co me to kn ow the o ne
is to ca ll God a lia r who has existed since th e beginnin g ;
and to show tha t his word is not in us. [ ha ve wr itten to you, youn g men ,
because you are stro ng and God's word has mad e its home in you, Jn 3: 1I +
3:6+ 2 I am wr iting this, my c hild ren,
to stop yo u sinning; and yo u have overcome the Evil One. '
Yo u must not love this passing world
M t 6:14+
In 5:3S
but if a nyo ne sho uld sin, 15 In 1:10 -+-
H eb 1:25; or anything that is in the world.
8:6 + we have our advocate with the Father,
J" 14: 16 The love of the Father cannot be In 5:42 +
Ae3: 14 + Jesus C hrist, who is just;
4: /0 in any man who loves the world, Rm 8:7-8
Rm 3:2 5 + he is the sacrifice that ta kes our sins away, 2P 1:4 +
and not only ours, 16 because no thing the world has to offer
I n 4:42 + - the sens ua l body, Mt 6:24"
but the whole wo rld's. J m4:4
Pr 27:20
the lustful eye,
Second condition: keep the comma ndments, especially the law of love pr ide in possessions-a- J01 4:16
1:3 ·1· .7 +
In 10:14 + We ca n be sure tha t we kno w God co uld ever come fro m the Father
on ly by keeping his co mma nd ments . but only from th e worl d ;
4 :20 and the wo rld, with all it craves for, I Co 7:31
Anyo ne who says, 'I know him ', 17 1 P 4:2
a nd does not keep his co mma nd ments, is co ming to an end ;
but anyone who doe s the will of God Pr 10:25
is a liar, Is 40 :8
remains for ever. M t7:21
refusing to ad mit the tru th.«
I n 14:21. 23
But when an yone does o bey what he has sa id,
3: 17 Fourth condition: be on guard again st the enemies of Chri st
God's love comes to per fection in him. b
Children, these are the last day s; 1 1'01 4: 1 +
We can be sur e 18

th at we are in God you were told th at a n An tichrist" must come, 2 T h2:4+

In 13: 15.34 a nd no w severa l a niichrists have alrea dy a ppeared; 4: 1
Ep 5:2 o nly when the on e who claims to be living in him 2Jn 7
2 T h 3:7 +
is living th e sam e kind of life as Christ' lived. we kn ow from this tha t these are the last day s.
T hose rivals of Christ came out of our own numb er, but they had 2Co6:14-18
My dear peo ple, 19

this is not a new co mma nd ment th a t I a m writing to tell you, never really belo nged; "
3: 11 if they had belon ged, they wo uld have stayed with us ; 1:3 -;-
D 16:5 but an o ld co mma nd ment
MI22:37 -40 bu t they left us, to prove that not one of them
2Jn 5 that yo u were given fro m the beginn ing,
the origi nal co mma nd ment whic h was the message brou ght to yo u. ever belo nged to us.
I n 13:34 + But you have been anoin ted ' by the Holy One, t.v 17:1 -r
Yet in a no the r way , wha t [ a m wr iting to yo u, 20 1s6:3 +
a nd what is being carried o ut in yo ur lives as it was in his, a nd have all received the know ledge'! In 14:26 +
2Co 1:21
is a new com mandment; c . Th is is possib ly an a llusion to the sect that ca lled J b 1:6 r • who incites h um an bein gs to wicked nes s,
R m 13:12
because the night is over them selve s ' sp ir it uals' , pneumatikoi , and wh o wer e t he I I n 3:8 "1- , Clirtsua ns. however, h a vin g 'k nown' t he
In 1:5 ; 8: 12 fore runners o f the G nos tics of the 2n d c. who lo o ked So n , the Son lives in them , 1 : 3 ~, and 'cl o th es' them in
and the real light is already shining. dow n 011 o t her p eop le as bei ng eit her fl n 'chi k oi or ligh t, vir tue and lo ve. J:7 t: and as this pro tects th em
Anyone who claims to be in the light h }'Ii/.. t1i, i.c. eithe r incomnletc lv or no t a t all lib er at ed fro m the devil, 5: t~; I n 17:15 , a nd preve nts th em from
fr o m m a t ter. si nn ing, 3:6.9. it co nstit u tes their vic to ry ove r th e dev il,
bu t hates his broth er 2 a . ALlJ . ' ( ) f G od', 2: 13, 14, and o ver this tr ansien t wor ld, 4:4: 5:4, 5 ;
is still in t he da rk . b. Lit. 'i n h im the lo ve of God h as bee n perfected cr. In 12:31: 14:30 : 1n:33 : M I6: 13.
In 12:35-36 (re ached its zo ah' : this refers m ore to G od's love for f. Lit. ' the ostcnra tlon of livin g' .
But a nyo ne who loves his broth er is living in the light 10 us than 10 our lo ve for him. /.:. 'an Anti christ ' var . ' T he An tt chris r'.
Pr4: llJ
002: 14 a nd need no t be af rai d of stumbling ; c. Lit. 'as T hat One': Jesus is repeat edly ref err ed h . Th o u gh they seemed to belong to the co m m un -
10 in Ih is wa y, 3:3,5 ,7 , 16: 4:1 7, cr . In 2:2 1: 19:35. ity . they lacked the sp irit o f C hr ist.
unlike the ma n who hates his bro the r a nd is in the da rkness, II I, In t he a .T. the c hrism that was to ano in t the ..,::>
not knowin g where he is go ing, Me ssia h (t he 'a no in ted ') wa s identifie d, Is 11:2; 61: 1,
M 1 15:14p d . Var . (V u lg.) "I am wri tin g to s ou (no w)' . The with th e (h o ly) Spir it or Brea th o f Yahwe h. C hristia ns
becau se it is too dark to see. seco nd clause ('I hav e wr itte n to you, fa ther s .,. be- sha re in th is a noi nti ng th at teach es t hem t he tr ue gnosis
ai nn ina') is o m itted by Vu ta. or know ledge .
e. T he dev il is st ill the Te m pt er as in Gn 3 : 1 ~6 : I. Var . 'yo u know a ll things'.
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a:
 2:21 1 J OHN 4/4 4/5 1 JO H N 3: 19
2 P 1:12 It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writi ng to you 21 to live a ho ly life
2 1n 1:2 but rather because you know it alrea dy is to be hol y ju st as he is holy ;
3:19 + 3:12
and kno w th at no lie can com e from the tru th . k to lead a sinful life is to belon g to th e devil,>
O n 3:15
The man who de nies that Jesus is th e Christ- 22 since the devil was a sinner from the beginning. In 8:44
he is the liar, It was to undo all th at the devil has do ne
2 T h2:4+ 3:5
2 1n 7 he is Antichris t ; tha t the Son of God a ppeared . 1n 12:31- 32
and he is denying the Father as well as the Son,' N o one who has been begotten by God sins; 3:6 +
becau se no one who ha s th e Fa ther can den y the Son , 23 becau se God's seed! remains inside him,
Jn 14:7-9 : 2:14 +
17:6 + and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well. he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.
K eep alive in you rselves wha t you were taught in th e beginni ng: « 24
as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in yo u, Second condition: keep the commandments, especially the law of love
1:7 + ; 4:6
1:3 -t- you wi11 live in the Son 10 In this way we distinguish th e children of G od
3:8 -1-
and in th e Father; fro m the children of the devil:
1n 5:24 : 6:
40.68; 17:2 and what is pro mised to you by his own prom ise 25 any bo dy no t living a holy life 3:23
is eternal life. and not loving his brother
T his is all that I am writing to you a bo ut th e peop le wh o are 26 is no child of God's. 1:5
trying to lead you ast ray . 11 This is the message
22:20 2:7
But you have not lost the ano inting th at he gave you, 27 as you hear d it from the beginning: Jn 13:34
and you do no t need anyon e to teach you;" that we are to love one another ;
1r 3 1:34 3:8 +
1n 14,26+ the anointing he gave teaches you everythi ng; 12 not to be like Cain, who belon ged to the Evil One O n 4:8
In 8:44
you are anointed with tru th , not with a lie, and cut his br oth er's throat ; Jud e 11
and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him. cut his brother's throa t simp ly for th is reason ,
Live in Chris t, then, my chi ldren, 28 th at his own life was evil and his brother lived a good life.
4:17 Ml24:9
so tha t if he a ppears, we may have full co nfidence, 13 Yo u must not be sur pr ised, brothers, when the world hates you; I n 15:18-2 1
2Th 1:9
and not turn from him in shame 14 we have passed out of death and into life, In 5:24 ;
M t 24:3 + 11:26
I Co 15:23 + at his co ming. and of th is we can be sure
You know that God is righteous - 29 because we love o ur bro ther s.
1:3 + .7 + Hob 6:1 +
then you must recog nise that everyo ne whose life is righteo us 15 If you refuse to love, you must remain dea d;
has been begott en by him. to hate you r br oth er is to be a murde rer,
and murderers, as you know , do no t ha ve eternal life in the m.
2:6
16 T his ha s taugh t us love- M t 20:28
Jn 15:12- 13
II. LIVE AS GOD'S CHIL DRE N that he gave up his life for us ; Ep 5:2
and we, to o, ought to give up our lives for our brothers.
D I 15:7. 11

1n l: 12
RID 8:14-17.
37-39
3 Thi nk of the love tha t th e Fat her ha s lavished on us,
by letting us be called G od's children ;
17 If a man who was rich enough in thi s world's good s
saw that o ne of his brot hers was in need,
Jm 2:16

Ep i:5 and th at is what we are. a but closed h is heart to him, 2:5; 4:12
111 15:2 1; 16: Beca use th e world refused to acknowl edge him, how cou ld the love of G od be living in him? In 5:42
3 ; 17:25
the refor e it does not acknowledge us. 18 My children , M1 7:21
My dea r peopl e, we are already the children of God our love is not to be just words or mere talk, 1m 1:22
but what we are to be in the future has no t yet been revealed ; but something real and active ;
Rill 8:29
P h 3:21 all we know is, th at when it is revealed 19 only by this ca n we be certain '
Co l 3:4 we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he rea lly is. k , Or 'a nd becau se you kno w that th e lies can not d. Beca use God , livi ng In the Christian, is p resen t
with all his div ine power for life. John is talk.ing in
ha ve come fro m trut h'.
First condition: break with sin I. Pr ob ab ly a refe ren ce to Cerin th us who iauahr gen eral terms. Igno ring peop le' s momentary lapses,
th a t Jesu s was an ord inar y human being wh o was 1:7-2: 1: a ll he is givin g is a schema t ic co n tr as t be twee n
Surely everyone who entertains this hope 'possessed' by th e Messia h at his baptism in th e Jordan : the tw o 'w or lds' , cf. 3:9 : 5: 18.
2:6 must purify himself, mus t try to be as pure as Christ. b thi s Me ssiah ascended bef o re th e Pas sio n o f Jesu s.
M t5:48 + Ano the r po ssible ref erenc e to his teaching is in 5:6 e . H a ving used expressions lik e : of Go d, from
Anyone who sins at all 4 - the be lief in bap tism (' water'j but no t th e sac r ificia l Tr u th, c h ild of God , to sho w ho w a C h ristian lives
und er the influe nce o f G o d livin g in h im , John no w
br eaks the law, de a th (' b lood' ),
m. T he a post olic teac hing con cern ing the mystery uses exp res sio ns like: of the devil, 3:8 : o f the Evil O ne,
because to sin is to break the law . 3:12, fro m, or of. the imp er man ent wor ld. 2:1 6 ; 4:5 ,
of C hr ist.
J n 1:29 + n, C hris tia ns ere tau ght b y the a pos tles, 1:3.5; ch ildre n of th e dev il. to ind icat e thos e who live u nder
Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin,' 2:7.24. bu t merely hearing w ha t is sai d is not en o ugh. the in fluence of the devil a nd a llow t hemsel ves to be
J n 8:46
Ho b 7:26 and that in him th ere is no sin ; th e m e SS3 !(C m ust pene tr a te them a nd thi s it cannot sed uced by him . ...,
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1:3+: 2:14+ d o except th ro u gh the grace o f th e Ho ly Spi ri t. f. T he ' seed ' of God co u ld be a referen ce to
M t7 :18 anyo ne who lives in G od does not sin," C hrist , cf. G a 3:16 ; 1 Jn 5:13. bu t so me co m menta tors
cf. 2:20 + .
and anyone who sins 3 a . O m . ' a nd th at is wh at we arc ' ; var . (Vu lgJ 'a nd ta ke it a s a refe re nce to the Sp irit, cf. 2:20 -27. or to th e
may we beco me precisely tha t' . seed of d ivine life in trod uced into us by G od .
has never seen him or know n him . g. Lit. 'we shall be cer ta in'; var. (Vula.) ' we are
b. Lit. ' as T ha t O ne' .
My children, do not let anyon e lead you astray: c . Lit. 's ins'; var , 'o ur sin s' . cer tai n' .
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a:
 3:2 0 1 JO H N 4/ 6 4/7 1 JOHN 4:20
2:21+
In 18:37 that we are children of the truth h because God is love.s 4:16
2Jn4
and be able to qu ieten our conscience in his presence , God's love for us was revealed
wha tever accusations it may ra ise agains t us, when G od sent into the world his only Son Gn 22:12
20 Mt 21:37
4:4 In 3:16
because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.' so that we could have life through him ;
My dear people, 21 10 this is the love I mean: D'7:8
Ws6:16
if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience, not our love for God, Rm8:31f

we need not be afraid in God's presence, but God's love for us when he sent his Son RmS:8
5:15 2:2
Mt 7:7-lI p and whatever we ask him, 22 to be the sacr ifice that ta kes ou r sins away . Rm 3:2S+
I n 14:13-14
we shall receive, II My dear people,
because we keep his comm and ments since God has loved us so much, Mt 18:33
In 8:29
and live the kind of life tha t he want s. we too should love one ano ther.
His commandments are these: 12 N o one has ever seen God;' Ex 33:20 +
23 In 1:18: 6:46
tha t we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Ch rist but as long as we love one another
5:3
and that we love one another G od will live in us 1:3 +
I n 13:34:
15:17 as he told us to. an d his love will be compl ete in us.
Whoever keeps his commandments 13 We can know that we are living in him 1:7+
24
1:3+
lives in Go d and God lives in him and he is living in us
1:7 + 3:24
In 14:21-23 We kno w that he lives in us because he lets us share his Spirit," R m S:S+
4:lJ
by the Spirit that he has given us. 14 We ourselves saw and we testify
that the Father sent his Son I n 3:17
Third condition: be on guard against the enemies of Christ as saviour of the world . In 4:42+
and against the world 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
1 Co 12:10+
2:18
4 It is not every spirit, my dear people, tha t you can trust;
test them, to see if they come from G od; 16
God lives in him, and he in God.
We ourselves have known and put our faith in
In 17:6 +
M ' 24:24 there are man y false prop hets, no w, in the worl d. God's love towa rds oursel ves.
I T m 4:1+ 4:7-8
Jude 4 You ca n tell the spirits that co me from God by this: God is love
1 Co 12:3
I T h S:21 every spirit which ac knowledges that Jesus the Ch rist has come and anyone who lives in love lives in God, 1:3+
in the flesh and God lives in him.
is from Go d; 17 Love will come to its perfection in us
but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus" when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; 2:28
Rm 8:15
is not from G od, because even in this world Jm 2:13
2:22
2 Th 2:4+ but is the spirit of Antichrist, we have become as he is. 2:6+: 3:2-3
whose coming you were warned about. i s In love there can be no fear, 2 Th 3:7+
2Tm 1:7
Well, now he is here , in the world. but fear is dri ven out by perfect love:
Children, 4 because to fear is to expect punishment,
2:14+
you have already overco me these false pro phets, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.s
because you are fro m God and you have in you 19 We are to love, then,
3:20
one who is greater tha n anyone in this world; because he loved us first. 4:9-10
3:8+
as for them , they are of the world, 20 Anyone who says, 'I love God', 2:4
and so they speak the language of the world and hates his brother,
and the world listens to them.
1:3+
In 8:47: 10: But web are children of God, b. In t he D.T. 'truth ' (co nt ras ting with unrighteous- p art icul arl y the apostl es.
26 + ness and ev il) of ten m eans the rightness of a life mor- c. Lit . 'From th is we know t he spirit of tr ut h and
and those who know G od listen to us; a lly well lived in accorda nce wit h t he will of Yahweh. th e spi rit of error' : the th em e o f the two sp iri ts, whi ch
those who are not of God refuse to listen to us. in fide lity to Ya hweh. T h is is the way Jo hn uses th e a lso oc c urs in Esse ne (Q umran) lit e rature. was
3:10 word . As the re is a double co m ma ndment to fid elit y d estined to have a co ns ide rable influence o n ea r ly
I n 14:17 This is how we can tell a nd lo ve, 3:23. people are said to ' be lo ng to tr uth' if C hr istia n thoug ht. All pe opl e are to rn be tween th e
the spirit of tru th from the spirit of falsehood. " th ey beli e ve. 2:21.22. and lo ve. 3:19 ; they are sa id to two 'worl ds ' , cr. 3:8 +; 3:19+, an d in varyin g de grees
live ' in uni on with (wa lk accord ing to) tru th' 2 In 4-6, all are ins pired by t he sp irit of eac h of the se 'w or lds ' .
3 In 3-6, to 'do the truth ', I n 3:21 (to perform or ac t F or Jo hn the sp iri t of truth comes fro m G od, 3:24;
it . as oppose d to co m m itt ing sin , d o in g wrong). cf. In 4:13. of. In 14:26 + .
III. LOVE AND FAITH 18:37 : 4:24.
i. T he pe rson whose co nsc ience (lit. ' heart' )
re p ro ach es him , will find t ha t G od a s a iudge is both d, T he idea t ha t G od lo ves Isr ael was o ne of t h e
Love more a cut e and mo re len ien t than hi s co nsc ien ce. gre a t p oet ic in sp irat io ns of t he O .T .• cf. Is 54 :8 + . T he
provid ing (it is un der sto od) th a t charity ha s bee n fact th a t God se n t his o nly So n to sa ve th e world proves
My dear peop le, pract ised . A no the r tr ansla tion co uld be ' In the p res ence th a t God is lov e. ::>
-s
let us love one an other of G od we s hall prove to our co nscience. if it has been e . This is d irec ted against the pneumalikoi wh o
I Th4:9 acc us in g us, th a t God is grea ter tha n o ur co nscience held th a t by in tu it io n a human being can 'r each" God..
since love comes from God is. an d that he kn o ws e verythin g' . f. It i s God himse lf wh o throu gh hi s Spirit pro--
1:3 + 4 a . Var . (V u lg.) and strongly su p ported ' which
and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows Go d. disso lves (or br ea ks. spli ts. div ides) Jes us '.
d uces charity in us.
1:7+ g. It is im po ssibl e to combine the lo ve of a so n with
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,
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b . 'we" i.e. th e authori sed preachers. and the fea r oCa slave.
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a:
 4:2 1 1 J OHN 4/8 4/9 1 JOH N 5:2 1
3:22
is a liar, and it is in accordance with his will, In 14:13-14 ;
15:7
since a man who does not love the brother that he can see he will hear us ;
I P 1:8 cannot love God, whom he has never seen. IS a nd, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us,
M I22:36-40
I n 14:15.21 ;
So this is the commandment that he has given us, 21 we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him.
15:17 that anyone who loves God must also love his brother. 16 If anybody sees his brother commit a sin
that is not a deadly sin,
1:3 +
In 8:42
5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
has been begott en by G od ;
and whoever loves the Fa ther that begot him
he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner
- not those who commit a deadly sin ; I n 15:22-24

1 P 1:23 M1 12:31
for there is a sin that is death,'
loves the child whom he begets. a
and I will not say that you must pray abou t that.
We can be sure tha t we love G od' s children 2
Rm 13:9 17 Every kind of wrong -doing is sin,
Ga5:14 if we love Go d himself and do what he has com mand ed us ;
th is is what loving G od is- but not all sin is dead ly."
3:23 keeping his commandments ;
2I n 6
DI JO:JJ
Summary of the letter
Mlll: 30 and his command ments are not difficult, 4 1:3 + .I H-
IR We know that anyone who has been begotten by God
because anyone who has been begotten by Go d 3:6 +
In 16:33 has already overcome the world ; does not sin,
In 1:13
214 + th is is the victory over the world- because the begotten Son of Go d' protects him,
2:14 +
our faith . and the Evil One does not touch him. In 17:15
19 We know that we belong to God,
Fa ith but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.
Who can overcome the world? 20 We know , too, that the Son of God has co me,
J r 24:7
Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God: b a nd has given us the power E p 1:17
I n 19:34 Jesus Christ who came by water and blood, C to know the tr ue God)
I n 17:3
Jn4: 1+ not with water only, We are in the true God,
5:12
but with water and blood; as we are in his Son , Jesus Christ.
In 1:33 + with the Spirit as another witness- Th is is the true God,
1:2
2:20.27 since the Spirit is the truth- th is is eternal life.
In 14:26 +
so that there are thre e witnesses," 21 Children, be on your guard again st false gods ."
the Spirit, the water and the blood,
and all three of them agree. s
We accept the testimony of human witnesses, 9
In 5:32. 37 but God's testimony is much greater,
and this is God's testimony,
given as evidence for his Son.
Everybody who believes in the Son of God 10
has th is testimony inside him;
In 3:33 and a nyo ne who will not believe God
is making God out to be a liar,
because he has not trusted
the testimony God has given about his Son.
In 3:11 + This is the testimony: II 5 a . T el be lieve th e truth is to be begot ten by Go d the tex t.
1:2 ; 5:20 a nd to lo ve Go d as Fat her and so a lso to love all G o d 's e . See note c o n v, 6. T he th ree witn esses
In 1:4; 5: God has given us eternal life s up po rt eac h o ther ; the water o f b a p tism is ac co m -
21.26 o t her ch ild ren.
and this life is in his Son ; b . Th is a rg um en t is based on two prev ious ones: p ani ed by the Sp ir it. and the Spi rit ca m e th rou gh the
whoever bel ieves is be go tt en by God , v. I. a nd 1O be 'b loo d ' o f the de at h o f Jesu s. Th e writer proba bly
anyone who has the Son has life, 12
be go tt en by God is to be t he conq ueror o f the 'wo rld' , int e nds another warn in g he re. a gai ns t th e do ctrine of
anyone who does not have the Son does not have life. v.4. Ce r in th us- tha t th e Sp ir it whic h ca me on Jes us a t
c . T he wat er and the blo od that ca me fro m his h is ba p tism (wa ter ) left h im bef ore his d ea th (b lood) .
Conclusion side when Jesus was pierced on th e cross , cf. In 19:34 f. As in the gospel. cr. Jn 2 1. th e con clu sio n is
a nd no te . T hese were th e 'ev id ence ' . fo r the orig inal fo llo wed by a pos tscrip t,
I have written all this to you 13 eyewit nesses. bu t the y are a lso th e witness for all
Ch ri stia ns as th e ty pe o f the ba p tism a nd t he sa cr ificia l
so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God dea th o f Jesu s which a re o pera t ive in their ow n lives. g . T he sin a ga in st the Sp irit , against tru th .
In 1:12 :
20:31 may be sure that you have eternal life. The th r ee co mponen ts of the new life 'i n Ch rist' are: cr. M t 12: 31 +.
the dea th (the bl ood ), th e resurrection . ba p tism (t he h. Li t. 'a nd the re is a sin th at is no t to dea th ';
wa te r) a nd the gift of the Sp iri t. VUIR. omits ' no t' .

ENDINGI
d. Yu lg, vv , 7-8 read as fo llo ws 'T here are thr ee
witnesse s in heaven: the Father the Wo rd and the Spi rit,
i. Jes us. cr. I n 1:13,18.
I. Lit . ' the T r ue' ; he is the o n ly tr ue God and the
..,::l
and thes e three are one: there are three witnesses on o n ly on e known fo r wha t he is in truth, i.e . Li fe a nd
earth: the Sp ir it the wat er a nd th e b loo d ' . T he wo rds Lo ve .
Prayer for sinners in ita lics (not in a ny of the ea rly G reek MSS , o r any k . Li t . ' id o ls ' , as in p a gani sm . b ut also th e ' id o ls
M l '/:7p o f the ea r ly tr a nsl ations. o r in the bes t MSS of the of the hea r t ' (Q u mr an ) th at de flect human bein gs fr om
We are quite confident that if we ask him for an yth ing, 14 Yu lg, itse lf) are p ro ba b ly a gloss tha t has crep t int o the ir fait h a nd tr ue lo ve. Yulg , adds 'A men' .
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