1 John 2

1 My little children [beloved ones, dear to me], I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin [fall short of God’s standard, miss the mark]. But if anyone does sin [commit a trespass, miss the mark], we have an advocate [counsellor, defender] before the Father [the heavenly Parent, God Himself]—Jesus Christ [the Anointed One, God’s Son], the Righteous One [just, upright, having God’s nature]. word study 2 He Himself [the propitiation, reconciler] is the atoning sacrifice [offering, propitiation for sin] for our sins [transgressions, missing the mark], and not only [alone, merely] for ours [our own, belonging to us] but also [in addition, furthermore] for the sins [transgressions, iniquities] of the whole [entire, complete] world [the orderly arrangement of creation]. word study 3 By this [in this way, through this means] we can be sure [have certainty, be confident] that we have come to know [have a deep understanding of, be acquainted with] Him: if we keep [obey, observe carefully] His commandments [divine instructions, laws]. word study 4 If anyone [claims to have a close relationship with God] says, “I know [have a deep understanding of, am intimately acquainted with] Him,” but does not keep [obey, observe, or follow] His commandments [divine instructions, teachings], he is a [deliberate, habitual] liar, and the truth [reality, sincerity] is not in him. word study 5 But if anyone [whoever, whoso] keeps [observes, watches over] His word [Logos, the divine message], the love [agape, unconditional affection] of God [the supreme Deity] has been truly [verily, surely] perfected [completed, made whole] in him. By this [hereby, through this means] we know [understand, recognize] that we are in [among, united with] Him: word study 6 Whoever [he that saith, claims to have a relationship with Him] claims to abide [remain, stay] in Him [in His presence] must walk [live, conduct life] as [just as, in the same manner] Jesus [He, the Messiah] walked [lived, followed God’s will]. word study 7 Beloved [dearly loved ones], I am not writing to you a new [fresh, recently introduced] commandment, but an old [long-standing, from the beginning] one, which you have had from the beginning [since the start, from the origin]. This commandment [divine instruction, order] is the message [word, logos] you have heard [listened to, understood]. word study 8 Then again [once more, a second time], I am also writing to you a new [fresh, recently given] commandment [divine instruction, order from God], which is true [genuine, authentic] in Him [Jesus Christ, the Son of God] and also in you [as believers, followers of Christ]. For the darkness [lack of spiritual understanding, ignorance] is fading [passing away, disappearing] and the true [real, genuine] light [spiritual illumination, enlightenment] is already [even now, at this moment] shining [radiating, illuminating]. word study 9 If anyone claims [says or professes] to be in the light [spiritual understanding, God’s presence] but hates [detests or loves less] his brother [fellow Christian, spiritual sibling], he is still [remains, continues to be] in the darkness [lack of spiritual understanding, ignorance of God’s will]. word study 10 Whoever [truly, genuinely] loves [shows esteem and goodwill towards] his brother [fellow Christian, male sibling] remains [stays, abides] in the light [spiritual illumination, God’s presence], and there is [exists, occurs] no [none, absolutely not] cause of stumbling [occasion for sin, error] in him [within their heart, life]. word study 11 But whoever [hates with a deep-seated aversion] hates his brother [fellow believer, spiritual sibling] is in the darkness [a state of spiritual ignorance, lacking spiritual light] and walks in the darkness [lacking spiritual understanding, stumbling through life]. He does not know [is unaware, lacks spiritual perception] where he is going, because the darkness [spiritual blindness, inability to see truth] has blinded [made spiritually blind, obscured spiritual vision] his eyes [his spiritual understanding, his ability to see God’s truth]. word study 12 I am writing [to record, to communicate] to you, little children [dear ones], because your sins [missing the mark] have been forgiven [released, left] through [because of] His name [authority and character] [for His sake, on account of who He is]. word study 13 I am writing [sending a letter] to you, fathers [male parents, spiritual leaders], because you know [have a deep understanding of] Him who is from the beginning [existing before all time]. I am writing to you, young men [youths, servants], because you have overcome [conquered, subdued] the evil one [the wicked, bad]. I have written to you, children [little ones, young people], because you know [have known, recognized] the Father [the male parent, God]. word study 14 I have written to you, fathers [spiritual leaders, mature believers], because you know Him [the Eternal One, from the beginning] who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men [strong and vigorous in faith], because you are strong [empowered by God], and the word of God [Logos, divine truth] abides in you, and you have overcome [conquered, gained victory] the evil one [the wicked, sinful nature]. word study 15 Do not [stop loving or] love the world [the system of earthly things, the cosmos] or anything [the things that are] in the world [the earthly realm]. If anyone [a person, someone] loves the world [the worldly system], the love [agape, unconditional affection] of the Father [the heavenly Parent, God] is not [does not exist, is absent] in him [within that person]. word study 16 For all [everything, the whole] that is in the world [the earthly realm, human society]—the desires [lust, cravings] of the flesh [human nature, physical body], the desires [longings, passions] of the eyes [sight, vision], and the pride [boasting, arrogance] of life [daily existence, earthly pursuits]—is not from the Father [God, the Creator] but from the world [the secular, worldly system]. word study 17 The world [this earthly realm, the cosmos] is passing away [perishing, coming to an end], along with its desires [lusts, sinful cravings]; but whoever does [fulfills, obeys] the will [desire, purpose] of God [the Almighty, Creator] remains [abides, stays] forever [for all eternity, throughout the ages]. word study 18 Children [little ones, dear youths], it is the last hour [the final part of this age, the end times]; and just as you have heard [been taught, understood] that the antichrist [one who opposes Christ] is coming [will appear, is to come], so now many antichrists [those who deny Jesus is the Christ] have appeared [arisen, come into being]. This is how we know [perceive, are certain] it is the last hour [the final time before Jesus returns]. word study 19 They went out from us [out of our midst, departed from our company], but they did not belong to us [were not of us, did not share our faith]. For if they had belonged to us [been truly ours, been part of us], they would have remained with us [stayed with us, continued in our fellowship]. But their departure [leaving, going out] made it clear [revealed, manifested] that none of them belonged to us [were not of us, did not truly belong]. word study 20 You, however, have [a special gift, an unction] an anointing [the Holy Spirit’s empowerment] from the Holy One [the sacred, set apart One], and all of you know [perceive, have spiritual insight into] the truth [all things, spiritual reality]. word study 21 I have not written to you because you lack [are without, do not possess] knowledge of the truth [reality, spiritual awareness], but because you have [possess, are aware of] it, and because no [none, not any] lie [falsehood, deception] comes from [originates with, is part of] the truth [reality, God’s nature]. word study 22 Who is the [false one, deceiver] liar, if it is not the one who [completely rejects, refuses to acknowledge] denies that Jesus [the Messiah, God’s anointed] is the Christ? This is the [opponent of Christ, enemy of God] antichrist, who [rejects, refuses to believe in] denies the Father [the Creator, God Almighty] and the Son [God’s only begotten, the Savior]. word study 23 Whoever [completely, utterly] denies [rejects, refuses to acknowledge] the Son [a child of God] does not have [possess, hold] the Father [a male parent, the Creator], but whoever [he who, anyone who] confesses [acknowledges, admits] the Son [the Messiah, Jesus] has [possesses, holds] the Father [the Almighty, the Creator] as well [also, too]. word study 24 As for you, let what [the true message, the teachings] you have heard [listened to, understood, and obeyed] from the beginning [the start, the origin] remain [stay, abide, dwell] in you. If it does [if it stays, if it abides], you will also remain [stay, continue, abide] in the Son [the divine Son, the Messiah] and in the Father [the heavenly Father, the Creator]. word study 25 And [also, in addition] this [specific promise] is the promise [commitment, assurance] that He Himself [personally, of His own will] made [professed, declared] to us [to those who believe]: eternal [lasting forever, age-during] life [spiritual and physical existence, the life of God]. word study 26 I have written [recorded, to make known] these things [concerning the truth] to you [as a warning, for your benefit] about [regarding, concerning] those who are trying [seeking, attempting] to deceive [lead astray, seduce] you [from the true way, concerning the truth about Christ]. word study 27 And as for you, the anointing [special gift of the Holy Spirit] you received from Him remains [dwells, abides] in you, and you do not need [have no requirement] anyone to teach [instruct, guide] you. But just as His true [genuine, authentic] and genuine [real, sincere] anointing [the divine unction] teaches [guides, instructs] you about [concerning, regarding] all things, so remain [stay, abide] in Him as you have been taught [instructed, guided]. word study 28 And now [at this present time], little children [dear ones, Christian converts], remain [abide, stay] in Christ [in union with Him], so that when He appears [is revealed, manifested], we may be confident [have boldness, freedom in speaking] and unashamed [not feel shame or embarrassment] before Him at His coming [presence, arrival]. word study 29 If you know [are aware, have spiritual insight] that He is righteous [just, upright, morally perfect], you also know [have spiritual understanding, recognize] that everyone who practices [lives out, does] righteousness [right living, justice, godliness] has been born [begotten, generated] of Him [from God, as His child]. word study