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fested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you that Everlasting Life which was with the Father, 3 and was manifested unto us ;) him whom we have seen and heard, we declare unto you†, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the 4 Father, and with his son Jesus Christ. And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be completed ‡.

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Now this is the declaration which we have heard from him, and make known unto you; that God is light, and 6 in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we speak falsely, 7 and conform not to the truth: but if we walk in the

light, as he is in the light, God and we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son 8 cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, 9 we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we

confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive § us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him false, CH. and his word is not in us. My children, I write these II. things unto you, that ye may not sin. Yet if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 2 the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world T. And we hereby know that we know him, if we keep

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that which, Gr. and Newcome.

The following is Mr. Wakefield's version: "What was at first, what we heard, what we saw with our eyes, what we observed, and our hands handled, concerning the doctrine of life: (for this Life shewed itself, and we saw it, and bear testimony, and declare unto you this Eternal Life, which was with the Father, and shewed itself unto us) what we saw and heard we declare unto you."

may be full. N.

§ God is so faithful and just as to forgive, N.

Or, a righteous advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ. Wakefield. The word Taganλnres, advocate, is of very general import: q. d. Christ is the medium of reconciliation.

See Schleusner.

¶for the sins of, &c. N. iλacuos, the act of pacifying an offended party. Schleusner. Christ is a propitiation, as by his gospel he brings sinners to repentance, and thus averts the divine displeasure.

4 his commandments. He who saith, "I know him," and keepeth not his commandments, speaketh falsely, and 5 the truth is not in him. But whosoever keepeth his word, of a truth the love of God is perfected in him: hereby we 6 know that we are in him. He who saith that he abideth in him, ought himself so to walk as He walked.

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Beloved *, I write not a new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning the old commandment is the word which ye have 8 heard [from the beginning]. Again, a new commandment I write unto you: which thing is true in Him and in you also for the darkness is passed away †, and the 9 true light now shineth. "He who saith that he is

in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness until 10 now. He who loveth his brother, abideth in the light, 11 and he hath no cause of stumbling. But he who hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because darkness hath blinded his eyes."

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I write unto you, my children, because your sins are 13 forgiven you on account of his name. [I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that was from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil One§. I write unto you, my 14 children, because ye have known the Father.] I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that was from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, 15 and ye have overcome the evil One. Love not the world,

nor the things which are in the world.

If any man love

16 the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, (the desire of the flesh, and the

* Brethren, R. T.

+ Or, is passing away.

through his name. N.

§ q. d. you have subdued vicious habits and inclinations. Or, you have triumphed

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desire of the eyes, and the pride of life,) is not of the 17 Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the desire of it: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

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My children, it is the last time and as ye have heard that antichrist will come, so even now there are many antichrists; by which we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us: but this hath come to pass to make it manifest that all are 20 not of us*. But ye have an unction† from the Holy One, 21 and know all things. I write not unto you because ye know not the truth: but because ye know it, and that no falsehood is from the truth. Who speaketh falsely, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, 23 who denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth 24 the Son, hath the Father also. Let that [therefore] abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall abide in you, ye also will abide in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he promised us, even 26 everlasting life. These things I write unto you concern27 ing those who would deceive you. But the unction which have received from him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you: but as that unction † teacheth you of all things, and is true, and is not falsehood, 28 .even as it hath taught you, abide in him. And now, my

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children, abide in him; that, when he shall be manifested, we may have confidence, and may not be ashamed before 29 him at his appearance. If ye know that he is righteous, be assured that every one who doeth righteousness is born of him.

CH. III. Behold what great love the Father hath bestowed on

* Or, they are made manifest; for all are not of us. Or, they went out, that they might be manifested, that all are not of us.

+ Or, anointing.

which the Son hath promised us, N.

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us, that we should be called children of God: the world therefore knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it hath not yet been manifested what we shall be: [but] we know that, when he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; 3 for we shall see him as he is. And every man who placeth this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as Christ is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth the law also: 5 for sin is a transgression of the law. And ye know that

Christ was maifestend to take away [our] sins: and in 6 him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not:

whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, nor known him. 7 My children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth 8 righteousness is righteous, as Christ is righteous: he who committeth sin, is of the devil; for the devil hath sinned from the beginning: for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the 9 devil. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin; for his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because 10 he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God; nor he who loveth not 11 his brother. For this is the charge which ye heard from 12 the beginning, that we love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that evil One, and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, 13 and his brother's righteous. Wonder not, [my] brethren, 14 if the world hate you. We know that we have passed

over from death to life, because we love the brethren. 15 He who loveth not [his brother] abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer: and ye know that no murtherer hath everlasting life abiding in him. 16 Hereby we know love †, because Christ laid down his

* not a real, but a hypothetical and fictitious being: the principle of evil personified: the supposed cause of evil. Hence called the evil One. Ch. ii. 13, 14. See Simpson's Essays, p. 152.

Or, Hereby we have understood what love is.

life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the 17 brethren. But whosoever hath the good things of the

world, and seeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how abideth the love of 18 God in him? [My] children, let us not love in word and in :19 tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts be20 fore him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater 21 than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then, we have confidence toward 22 God: and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because

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we keep his commandments, and do those things which 23 are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and should love one another as he hath given us coni24 mandment. And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us. CH. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits IV. whether they be of God: because many false prophets 2 are gone out into the world. Hereby ye know the spirit of God: every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ 3 is come in the flesh *, is of God. And every spirit which confesseth not Jesus †, is not of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist, of which ye have heard that it : 4 should come; and it is in the world now already. Ye

are of God, my children, and have overcome them for he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore they speak of the world, 6 and the world heareth them. We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us: he that is not of God, heareth us not. Hereby we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

* That is, that Jesus Christ was a real man, in opposition to the Gnostics and Docetæ,
who taught that Christ was a man only in appearance. See Dr. Priestley in loc.
+ that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; R. T.

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