1Jo 1 | ISV | STEP | The Letter Called First John Jesus, the Word of Life What existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we observed and touched with our own hands

‏ 1 John 1

The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: “A dog returns to its vomit,” ^{▼▼Prov 26:11} and “A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud.” ^{▼▼The source of this quotation appears to be the Syrian Story of Ahikar.}Prov 26:11

1 The Letter Called First JohnJesus, the Word of Life

What existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we observed and touched with our own hands—this is the ^{▼▼Lit. about the} Word of life!Luke 24:39; John 1:1, 14; 20:27; 2Pet 1:16; 1John 2:13; 4:14 2 This life was revealed to us, and we have seen it and testify about it. We declare to you this eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.John 1:1-2, 4; 11:25; 14:6; 21:24; Acts 2:32; Rom 16:26; 1Tim 3:16; 1John 3:5; 5:20 3 What we have seen and heard we declare to you so that you, too, can have fellowship with us. Now this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.John 17:21; Acts 4:20; 1Cor 1:9; 1John 2:24 4 We are writing these things ^{▼▼Other mss. read these things to you} so that our ^{▼▼Other mss. read your} joy may be full.John 15:11; 16:24; 2John 1:12

5 Living in the LightThis is the message that we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness—none at all!John 1:9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36; 1John 3:11 6 If we claim that we have fellowship with him but keep living in the darkness, we are lying and the truth is not in us.2Cor 6:14; 1John 2:4 7 But if we keep living in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.1Cor 6:11; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:14; 1Pet 1:19; 1John 2:2; Rev 1:5 8 If we say that we do not have any sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.1Kings 8:46; 2Chr 6:36; Job 9:2; 15:14; 25:4; Prov 20:9; Eccl 7:20; James 3:2; 1John 2:4 9 If we make it our habit to confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us those sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Ps 32:5; 51:2; Prov 28:13; 1John 1:7 10 If we say that we have never sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.