1 John 1

Prologue: Our Declaration

¹What was from the beginning, ^a what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word ^b of life #— # ²that life was revealed, ^c and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us ^d #— # ³what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship ^e with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father ^f and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴We are writing these things ^g so that our ^h joy ⁱ may be complete.

Fellowship with God

⁵This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, ^j and there is absolutely no darkness in him. ^{k 6}If we say, “We have fellowship ^l with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, ^m we are lying and are not practicing the truth. ^{n 7}If we walk in the light ^o as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus ^p his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸If we say, “We have no sin,” ^q we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive ^r us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word ^s is not in us. ^t