1 My children, these things I write to you in order that ye may not sin; and if any one sin, we have a patron with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; but not for ours alone, but also for the whole world.

3 And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him verily the love of God is perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him. 6 He that says he abides in him ought, even as he walked, himself also so to walk.

7 Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment, which ye have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye heard. 8 Again, I write a new commandment to you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light already shines. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now. 10 He that loves his brother abides in light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I write to you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, nor the things in the world. If any one love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; 16 because 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. 17 And the world is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity.

18 Little children, it is the last hour, and, according as ye have heard that antichrist comes, even now there have come many antichrists, whence we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from among us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have surely remained with us, but that they might be made manifest that none are of us.

20 And ye have the unction from the holy one, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written to you because ye do not know the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son has not the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you let that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you: if what ye have heard from the beginning abides in you, ye also shall abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he has promised us, life eternal. 26 These things have I written to you concerning those who lead you astray: 27 and yourselves, the unction which ye have received from him abides in you, and ye have not need that any one should teach you; but as the same unction teaches you as to all things, and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28 And now, children, abide in him, that if he be manifested we may have boldness, and not be put to shame from before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, know that every one who practises righteousness is begotten of him.

1 Mu lapsed, ma kirjutan teile selleks, et te ei teeks pattu. Aga kui keegi patustab, on meil Isa juures õige eestkostja, Jeesus Kristus. 2 Tema on lepitusohver meie pattude eest, ja mitte ainult meie, vaid kogu maailma pattude eest.

3 Ja sellest me tunneme ära, et oleme tema ära tundnud, kui me täidame tema käske. 4 Kes väidab, et ta tunneb teda, aga tema käske ei täida, see on valetaja ja tõde ei ole tema sees. 5 Aga kes kuuletub tema sõnale, selles on tõesti Jumala armastus saanud täielikuks. Sellest me teamegi, et kuulume talle. 6 Kes väidab end püsivat temas, peab elama nii, nagu Kristus elas.

7 Armsad, ma ei saada teile uut käsku, vaid vana käsu, mis on olnud teil algusest peale. Vana käsk on see sõna, mida te olete kuulnud. 8 Samas on see ka uus käsk, mis on tõeks saanud Kristuses ja ka teis, sest pimedus kaob ja tõeline valgus juba paistab.

9 Kes väidab enese olevat valguses, kuid vihkab oma venda, on ikka veel pimeduses. 10 Kes oma venda armastab, see püsib valguses ja ta ei pane kedagi komistama. 11 Aga kes oma venda vihkab, see on pimeduses. Ta kõnnib pimedas ega tea, kuhu läheb, sest ta silmad on löödud pimedusega.

12 Ma kirjutan teile, lapsed,

sest teie patud on teile andeks antud Jeesuse nime pärast.

13 Ma kirjutan teile, isad,

sest te tunnete teda, kes on olnud algusest peale.

Ma kirjutan teile, noored mehed,

sest te olete ära võitnud kurja.

14 Ma olen kirjutanud teile, lapsed,

sest te tunnete Isa.

Ma olen kirjutanud teile, isad,

sest te tunnete teda, kes on olnud algusest peale.

Ma olen kirjutanud teile, noored mehed,

sest te olete tugevad

ja Jumala sõna elab teis

ja te olete ära võitnud kurja.

15 Ärge armastage maailma ega midagi, mis on maailmas! Kes armastab maailma, selles ei ole armastust Isa vastu. 16 Kõik see, mis on maailmas – lihahimu, silmahimu ja elukõrkus – ei pärine Isast, vaid on maailmast. 17 Maailm kaob ja selle himud, aga kes täidab Jumala tahet, elab igavesti.

18 Lapsed, käes on viimne tund! Te olete kuulnud, et antikristus tuleb. Nüüd ongi välja ilmunud palju antikristusi, ja sellest me tunneme ära, et käes on viimne tund. 19 Nad on välja läinud meie seast, aga nad ei ole kuulunud meie hulka. Kui nad oleksid kuulunud meie hulka, siis nad oleksid jäänud meiega. Aga nende lahkumisega sai selgeks, et ükski neist ei kuulunud meie hulka.

20 Ent teil on ju võidmine sellelt, kes on Püha, ja te kõik teate tõde. 21 Ma ei kirjutanud teile mitte sellepärast, et te tõde ei tea, vaid et te teate seda, ja et ükski vale ei tule tõe seest. 22 Kes veel on valetaja, kui mitte see, kes salgab, et Jeesus on Kristus? Antikristus on see, kes salgab Isa ja Poega. 23 Kes salgab Poja, sellel pole ka Isa; kes tunnistab Poega, sellel on ka Isa.

24 Mida te olete algusest peale kuulnud, see püsigu teie sees! Kui teis püsib see, mida te olete algusest peale kuulnud, siis püsite teiegi Pojas ja Isas. 25 Ja see on tõotus, mis tema on meile tõotanud – igavene elu.

26 Seda ma kirjutasin teile nendest, kes tahavad teid eksitada. 27 Aga teie olete saanud Kristuselt võidmise, mis püsib teis ning te ei vaja, et keegi teid õpetaks; sest tema võidmine õpetab teile kõike, mis on tõde ja mitte vale. Niisiis, püsige temas, nagu tema teid on õpetanud!

28 Ja nüüd, lapsed, jääge temasse, et kui tema saab avalikuks, oleksime tema tulemise päeval julged ega peaks häbenema tema ees. 29 Kui te teate, et Jumal on õige, siis saate olla kindlad, et igaüks, kes teeb õigust, on Jumalast sündinud.