First Epistle of John (Translated)

Conservapedia Bible Project

v • d • e

Completed:
Old Testament:
Genesis • Obadiah • Jonah • Haggai * Ruth • Malachi
New Testament:
Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians

Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians

1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter

1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation • Hebrews

Incomplete:
Old Testament:
Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua

Judges • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings

1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms

Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah

Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos

Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah

Zechariah

1 John is a General Epistle.

## Contents

* 1 Chapter 1
* 2 Chapter 2
* 3 Chapter 3
* 4 Chapter 4
* 5 Chapter 5

## Chapter 1[edit]

Verse  | King James Version  | Proposed Conservative Translation  | Analysis

|
|
|

1  | That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  | This is the way it was from the beginning: what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, and what we have observed and handled with regard to the word which gives life.  | I've understood "zohs" to be a genitive of origin.
2  | (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)  | That life was made crystal clear, and we have seen it; now we affirm our creed and proclaim to you that life eternal which was with the Father and has been revealed to us.  |
3  | That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  | What we have seen and heard, we in turn proclaim to you, so that you can share in community with us. And our communion is with the Father and with His son, Jesus Christ.  |
4  | And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.  | We are writing this letter to you with the intent of perfecting your joy.  |
5  | This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  | Concerning the word of life, we have heard this message which we now proclaim to you: "God is light and darkness has no place in Him whatsoever!"  |
6  | If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  | If we say that we are in communion with Him, but live in the dark, we are liars, and do not practice the truth.  |
7  | But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  | But if we live in the light, just as He is in the light, then we are all part of the same community, and the blood of His Son Jesus Christ makes us clean from all sin.  |
8  | If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  | If we say that we are without sin, we are trying to trick ourselves, and there is no truth in us.  |
9  | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  | But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just. He forgives our sins, and makes us clean from all of our unrighteousness.  |
10  | If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  | If we say we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar, and his Word is not in us.  |

## Chapter 2[edit]

Verse  | King James Version  | Proposed Conservative Translation  | Analysis

|
|
|

1  | My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  | My students, I write this to you: Don't sin. But if a man every sins, he has an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ the righteous.  |
2  | And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.  | He is the sacrifice for our sins; and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world.  | "propitiation" is a sacrifice that atones for sins. Trouble is, few people recognize the meaning of that word today, so "sacrifice for our sins" is used rather than the redundant "propitiation for our sins."
3  | And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  | And we know that we have Him, if we keep his commandments.  |
4  | He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  | He who says, "I know Him, but I don't keep his commandments," is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  |
5  | But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  | But he who keeps His word, in him is truly the love of God perfected: this is how we know that we are in Him.  |
6  | He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.  | He that says he lives in Him, ought to walk as He walked.  |
7  | Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.  | My brothers, I am not really writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have always had. The old commandment is the word you have heard from the beginning.  |
8  | Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.  | So if I'm writing a "new" commandment, it's something that's true in Him and in you. The darkness is over and the light of truth is shining.  | Hmm... how to reconcile with previous verse? It's rhetorical. The commandment is new to be stated outright, but it's always been with us all.
9  | He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.  | He who says he is in the light, but hates his brother, is actually in darkness.  |
10  | He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  | He who loves his brother lives in the light, and there is no faltering for him.  |
11  | But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.  | But he who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because that darkness has blinded his eyes.  |
12  | I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.  | I write to you, students, because you sins are forgiven, in His name.  |
13  | I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.  | I write to you, teachers, because you have known Him from the beginning. I write to you, brothers, because you have overcome the devil. I write to you, students, because you have known the Father.  |
14  | I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.  | I have written to you, teachers, because you have known Him from the beginning. I have written to you, brothers, because you and strong and the word of God flourishes in you, and you have overcome the devil.  |
15  | Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  | Do not love the world, or the things in this world. If any man loves the world, he cannot love the Father.  |
16  | For 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.  | Fall everything in the world: the lust of flesh, the lust of sight, the pride of life, is not with the Father, but is with the world.  |
17  | And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  | The world will pass away, and the lust with it; but whoever does the will of God continues forever.  |
18  | Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  | Students, our time is nearly up. Just as we have heard that the antichrist shall come, already there are many antichrists, so our end is near.  | two issues here: translate as "students", and as "our time is nearly up" rather than the "last time"
19  | They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.  | They abandoned us, but there were never really with us, for it they had been then they would sure have stuck with us. Instead they went their own way, demonstrating their lack of devotion with us.  | might tighten this up.
20  | But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.  | But you are anointed by the Holy One, and know all things.  |
21  | I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  | I have not written to you because you are unaware of the truth, but because you do know, and that no lie is of the truth.  |
22  | Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  | Who is a liar if not he who denies that Jesis is the Christ. He who denies the Father and the Son is the antichrist.  |
23  | Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also].  | Whoever denies the Son, the same ignores the Father; but he who acknowledges the Son knows the Father also.  |
24  | Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.  | So keep close that which you'd heard since the beginning. If the truth of the beginning stays with you, you will stay strong in the Son and Father.  |
25  | And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.  | He has promised eternal life to us for this.  |
26  | These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.  | That's what I've written you about the seducers.  |
27  | But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.  | But his anointing will stay with you, and you don't need to be "taught" by any man, since that anointment teaches you everything, and is the truth, not a lie. You will stay with Him as it has taught you.  |
28  | And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.  | Now, students, be faithful to Him so that, when He appears, we may be confident rather than ashamed before Him at his return.  |
29  | If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.  | If you know that He is good, you know that everyone who does good is based in Him.  |

## Chapter 3[edit]

Verse  | King James Version  | Proposed Conservative Translation  | Analysis

|
|
|

1  | Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  | Notice the great love that the Father has for us, that we should be called sons of God. Thus the world cannot accept us, because it has not known Him.  | avoid emasculation here; "children" has an Islamic connotation of "submission" that is not in the Greek
2  | Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  | My friends, we are God's sons, and we don't yet know what we will be. But we know that when He returns, we will be like Him and see Him in truth.  |
3  | And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  | Every man who has Christ as his hope is purified.  |
4  | Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.  | Anyone who sins breaks the law, since sin is the breaking of the law.  |
5  | And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.  | You know He came to remove our sins and in Him all are sinless.  |
6  | Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.  | Anyone who stays with Him doesn't sin. Anyone sinning hasn't seen Him or known Him.  |
7  | Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  | Sons, don't let any man deceive you. He who acts righteously is righteous.  |
8  | He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  | While he that commits sin is the Devil's, because the Devil has sinned since the beginning. For that reason the Son of God came to us, to destroy the devil's schemes.  | "Works" implies accomplishments in modern language (literature, architecture, etc.)
9  | Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  | Anyone born in God is sinless, because his seed stays inside him. He cannot sin, since he's born in God.  |
10  | In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.  | So the children of God are clear, as are the devil's children. Anyone who isn't righteous or doesn't love his brother isn't God's.  |
11  | For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.  | You've heard this message since the beginning, to love each other.  |
12  | Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.  | Not like Cain, who was the devil's and killed his brother. Why'd he kill him? Because his own accomplishments were evil and his brother's were righteous.  |
13  | Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  | So don't be despised, brothers, if the world hates you.  |
14  | We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.  | We know that we've moved from death to life because of our love for our brothers. Anyone who doesn't love his brother stays dead.  |
15  | Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  | Anyone who hate is his brother is a murderer, and you know murderers don't have eternal life with Him.  |
16  | Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.  | So we see the love of God, who laid down His life for us. We should lay down our lives for our brothers too.  |
17  | But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  | Anyone who has been blessed in this word and sees his brother struggling, but has no compassion for him, how can the love of God be in him?  |
18  | My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  | My sons, let's not just say or write that we love, but love in action and truth.  |
19  | And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  | That way we know we live in the truth, and can be certain before Him.  |
20  | For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  | God knows all things, so if our hearts condemn us, he knows too.  | I've tried a fairly large rephrasing, but I think the point is unchanged (and much clearer).
21  | Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.  | My friends, if our hearts don't condemn us, we can be confident with God.  |
22  | And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  | Anything we ask we will get from him, since we follow his laws and act pleasingly so He likes what He sees.  |
23  | And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  | This is his command: We should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ and love one another as he told us.  |
24  | And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.  | The man who follows the laws stays in Him, and He stays in him. That's how we know he stays in us! By the Guide he has given to us.  |

## Chapter 4[edit]

Verse  | King James Version  | Proposed Conservative Translation  | Analysis

|
|
|

1  | Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  | My friends, do not believe every person claiming to be Christian, but test each message with God, because there are many false teachers.  |
2  | Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  | Here is how you know what is true: teachers who honestly proclaim that Jesus Christ in the flesh is of God.  |
3  | And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  | Every teacher who denies that Jesus Christ is the flesh is not of God. That is the spirit of the Antichrist.  |
4  | Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  | Children, you are of God and triumph over them, because there is more of Him in you than in the worldly person.  |
5  | They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  | They are worldly and speak of the world, and the worldly listen to them.  |
6  | We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.  | We are God's people. Anyone who knows God listens to us. Anyone who doesn't know God, doesn't hear us. So we know the sources of truth and error.  |
7  | Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  | My friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves is from God and knows God.  |
8  | He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  | He who doesn't love doesn't know God since God is love.  |
9  | In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  | God made His love for us clear when He sent His only Son to the world, so that we could live through His sacrifice.  |
10  | Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.  | This is love: not that we Loved God, but that God loved us and sent His Son to pay for our sins.  |
11  | Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  | My friends, if God loves us like that, we should love each other too.  |
12  | No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  | No man has seen God. If we love each other, God lives within us and His love becomes perfect.  |
13  | Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.  | So know the we live in Him and He in us, since He gave us His Guide.  |
14  | And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world.  | We've seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the World's Savior.  |
15  | Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  | God lives in anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is God's Son, and he lives in God.  |
16  | And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  | We have felt and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and anyone living in love lives in God  |
17  | Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  | So our love is perfected so we might have courage on judgment day. Just as He is, we are in this world.  |
18  | There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  | Love has no fear, and perfect love rejects fear, because fear torments. A frightened man hasn't been perfected by love.  |
19  | We love him, because he first loved us.  | We love Him because He loved us first.  |
20  | If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  | If a man says "I love God" but hates his brother, he's lying. If he doesn't love his brother, who he's seen, how can he love good, who he hasn't?  |
21  | And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.  | He has given us this law: that anyone who loves God love his brother too.  |

## Chapter 5[edit]

Verse  | King James Version  | Proposed Conservative Translation  | Analysis

|
|
|

1  | Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  | Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and everyone who loves a father, loves the son.  | In conjunction with the next verse, it is clear the second clause here refers not only to love of God implying love of Jesus, but also love of God and Jesus implying love of fellow Christians.
2  | By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  | In this way, we know that we love the children of God when we love God, and keep his commandments.  |
3  | For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  | This is what it means to love God, to keep his commandments: and his commandments are not hard to keep.  |
4  | For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.  | Whatever is born of God can overcome worldly things, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.  |
5  | Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  | Who could overcome worldly things, except he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  |
6  | This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  | This is him who came by blood and water, Jesus Christ; not just by water, but by both water and blood. And it is the Spirit which bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.  |
7  | For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  | For there are three that bear record in heaven,  | Original text read only "For there are three that bear record," - see Comma Johanneum.
8  | And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.  | the Spirit, the water, and the blood: and these three are one.  | Original text read only "the Spirit, and the water, and the blood," - see Comma Johanneum.
9  | If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.  | We accept the testimony of men, but how much greater is the testimony of God: for it is his statement that testifies to his Son.  |
10  | He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.  | He that believes in the Son of God has the truth within himself; he who does not believe, God has made him a liar, for he disbelieves the record that God gave of his Son.  |
11  | And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  | This is the truth: God gives us eternal life through his Son.  |
12  | He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  | Anyone with the Son has life, and anyone who doesn't have the Son of God doesn't have life.  |
13  | These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  | I've written this to you believers in the name of God's Son so you'll know you have eternal life. You may believe in the name of God's Son.  |
14  | And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  | We have great confidence in Him, that if we ask Him anything of His will, He hears us.  |
15  | And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  | We know that He hears us no matter what we ask, and we know that we will have what we asked Him for.  |
16  | If any man see his brother sin a sin [which is] not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.  | If a man sees his brother commit an undeadly sin, he should ask God, and He will give them life, even if they commit undeadly sin. Some sin causes death, and I don't say he should pray for it.  | Not sure of the details of this. Could use improvement, as it's important.
17  | All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.  | All wickedness is sin and not all sin causes death.  |
18  | We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.  | We know anyone born in God doesn't sin, but instead controls his own actions, and evil Satan can't touch him.  |
19  | [And] we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.  | We know that we are God's, but the whole world remains wicked.  |
20  | And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.  | We know that the Son of God has come to give us true knowledge, so we can know the true God. We live in Him and his true Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and His eternal life.  |
21  | Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.  | So, my sons, stay clear of idols! Amen.  |