Workers
For Jesus Online Bible Study
The Book of 1 John
This letter was written by John. It is not clear to whom he was
writing, but it was probably one of the churches near Ephesus. John
was the only one of the original apostles who was not killed for his
faith.
John spent his later years in the city of Ephesus. He probably
wrote this
letter from there. He wrote this letter to correct wrong teachings.
John was an evangelist. Later, he was exiled to the island of Patmos.
There, he wrote the book of Revelation.
Main points of 1 John.
God is light.
Jesus takes away our sins.
Jesus intercedes for us with God.
We should not follow the world.
Christians have the Holy Spirit in them.
We are children of God.
Christians should love each other.
God is love.
We love because God loved us first.
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1 John 1
The Word of Life (Jesus) has existed since the
beginning. We have heard Him. We have seen Him with our eyes. We have looked at
Him. We have touched Him.
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;
The Life was manifested. He became human. We have
seen Him. We can witness and show you about living forever. He lived with the
Father God and then came to us.
[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;)
We have told you what we have seen and heard. So,
you can share with us. We can all fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ.
[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.
We write these things to you so that you will feel
joyful.
[4] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
This is what we are telling you. God is light. There is no darkness in Him
at all.
[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.
If we say we follow Jesus, but we don't obey Him, we are just lying.
[6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we
lie, and do not the truth:
If we obey Him and walk in the light, we can share
with each other. The blood of Jesus has cleaned us all from sin.
[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.
If we say that we do not sin. we are only fooling
ourselves. We do not have truth. If we say we sin, He is faithful and will
forgive our sins. He will make us clean and righteous. If we say we have
not sinned, we are making God a liar, and His word is not in us.
[8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not 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.
[10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word
is not in us.
1 John 2
My little children, I am writing these things to
you so that you don't sin. If anyone sins, Jesus Christ is our advocate
with our Father. Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins. He was the sacrifice for
the sins of everyone in the whole world.
[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:
[2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but
also for the sins of the whole world.
This is how we know that we know Jesus: we
obey His laws.
[3] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
If someone says they know Jesus, but they don't obey
His laws, that person is a liar. He does not tell the truth.
[4] He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a
liar, and the truth is not in him.
If someone keeps God's laws, they love
God. They share in God's love.
[5] But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
Anyone who says they belong to
God should behave the way that Jesus did.
[6] He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even
as he walked.
Brothers, I am not
writing you a new commandment. It is an old commandment which you have had
from the beginning. But it is really new because now you know Jesus. The
darkness is gone, and the true light shines.
[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.
[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.
A person might
say he is in the light, but he hates his brother. He is really in the dark.
[9] He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in
darkness even until now.
A person
who loves his brother lives in the light. He doesn't sin. But a person who hates
his brother lives in the dark. He walks in the dark and doesn't know where he's
going. The darkness makes him blind.
[10] He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none
occasion of stumbling in 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.
Little children, I am
writing you because your sins are forgiven
[12] I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven
you for his name's sake.
Fathers, I am writing you because you know Jesus. He has been
alive since the beginning.
Young men, I am writing to you because you are
strong. God's words lives in you. You have defeated the Devil.
Little
children, I am writing to you because you know the Father.
[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 have written to you, Fathers,
because you have known Jesus. He has been alive since the beginning.
I have
written to you, young men, because you are strong. The word of God lives in you.
You have defeated the Devil
[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.
Don't love the
world, and don't love the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the
world, God's love is not in him.
[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.
The things that are in the world are
not of God. Things like sexual sins and too much pride are the world, not God.
[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.
The things in the
world will pass away. But the people who do God's will will live forever.
[17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth
the will of God abideth for ever.
Little children,
it is the last time. You have heard that the antichirst will come. Now, there
are many antichrists. That is how we know it is the last time.
[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.
These people were once in our group, but they were not
really sincere. If they had been sincere, they would have stayed with us. But
they left. They left to show that they were not really part of us.
[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.
You have been anointed by the Holy One.
You know all things.
[20] But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
I have not written you because you
don't know the truth. I write you because you know the truth. It does not lie.
[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.
Anyone who denies that Jesus
is the Christ is a liar. If he denies the Father and the Son, he is against
Christ.
[22] Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
If someone denies the Son, he
does not have the Father. But the person who knows the Son also has the Father.
[23] Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he
that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Continue to remember what you heard from
the beginning. If you continue to believe, you continue in the Son and
Father.
[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.
He has promised us to live
forever.
[25] And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
There are people
trying to trick you. But God's anointing is in you. It is true. It is not
a lie. You should continue to believe in Christ.
[26] These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce
you.
[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.
Now, little children. Stay with Christ.When He comes
back, we will be confident. If you know that He is good, you know that
everyone who does good believes in Him.
[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.
[29] If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth
righteousness is born of him.
1 John 3
The Father loves us so much that we are
called His sons. The world doesn't know us because the world didn't know
Him.
[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.
Loved ones, now we
are God's sons. We don't know yet what we will look like in the future.
But we know that when He appears again, we will be like Him. We will see Him as
He truly is.
[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.
Everyone who hopes in Christ makes himself clean like Christ is clean.
[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure.
Sinning is breaking the law. Anyone who sins breaks the law.
[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law.
Christ became a man to take away our sins. He has no
sins.
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him
is no sin.
Sinners don't know
Jesus. But believers in Jesus do not continue to sin.
[6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him.
Little children, don't let anyone trick you. The
person who does good things is good just like Jesus is good.
[7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness
is righteous, even as he is righteous.
The person who sins belongs to the devil The
devil has been sinning since the beginning of time. That is why Jesus came
to earth. He came to destroy the devil's work.
[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.
The person who is a child of God does not sin.
God's lives in him. He is God's child, and he cannot sin.
[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.
This is how we know who belongs to God and who belongs
to the devil. The people who do bad things are not God's children. The person who
loves his brother belongs to 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.
You have heard
this from the beginning -- we should love one another.
[11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another.
We should
not be like Cain. He belonged to the devil. He killed his brother. He killed him
because the things he did were evil, but the things his brother did were good.
[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.
My brothers, don't be
surprised if the world hates you.
[13] Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
We know we will live forever
because we love our brothers. The people who don't love their brothers
will die.
[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.
If a person hates another person, it is
the same as being a murdurer. You know that no murdurer can live forever.
[15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Here is how we know about the love of
God: He died for us. We should die for other people.
[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.
A person might be rich. If he
sees someone who needs help but he doesn't help him, how does God's love live in
him?
[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?
My
little children, we should not just say good words. We should do good things and
be honest.
[18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but
in deed and in truth.
We know the
truth about God. Our hearts feel this. If our hearts make us feel
that we are wrong, God knows everything. He is greater than our feelings.
[19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before him.
[20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and
knoweth all things.
Beloved children, if our hearts do not feel we are
wrong, we are confident for God.
[21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward
God.
He will
give us whatever we ask of Him because we obey Him and do things that he is happy
about.
[22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
This is His commandment:
we should believe in God's Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love other people.
[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.
The people who
obey God's commandents live in Him, and God lives in them. We know He
lives in us because He gave us the Holy Spirit.
[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.
1 John 4
Loved ones, don't believe everyone who
says they are of God. There are many people who lie. They are false prophets.
This is how you know if someone has the Spirit of God: they are true if they say
that Jesus Christ had a true human body. Anyone who doesn't say that is not from
God. Those people have Satan's spirit. You have heard that Satan's spirit would
come, and it already is here.
[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.
[2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come 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.
You are part of
God, little children. You have defeated the evil spirits. God's spirit in
you is stronger that Satan's spirits that are in the world.
[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.
Satan's spirits are part of
the world. That's why they talk about worldly things, and the world hears them.
[5] They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the
world heareth them.
We are God's people. Other people who know God
will listen to us. People who don't know God won't listen to us.
This is how we know what is true and what is not true.
[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.
Loved ones, we
need to love each other. Love comes from God. Everyone who loves is from God and
knows God. The person who does not love does not know God. God is love.
[7] Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one
that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
[8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
This is how God's love is
shown to us. God sent His only Son into the worl so that we can live through
Him.
[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.
Here is love. It is not that
we loved God, but that He loved us. He sent His Son to take the punishment
for our sins. Loved ones, if God loved us like that, we should also love
one another.
[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.
[11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No one has ever
seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us. His love becomes perfect in
us.
[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.
You can know that we live in
Him and He lives in us. We know that because He has given us His Spirit.
[13] Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath
given us of his Spirit.
We have seen, and we tell others that the Father
sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
[14] And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be
the Saviour of the world.
If God
lives in someone and that person lives in God, he will say that Jesus is the Son
of God
[15] Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth
in him, and he in God.
We have known and believed in God's love for us.
The person who loves lives in God, and God lives in him.
[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.
If we love like God loves, we will be bold on Judgment Day.
[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.
Love does not make fear.
Perfect love throws off fear. Fear torments us. That shows we are not yet
perfect in love. We love God, because God first loved us.
[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.
[19] We love him, because he first loved us.
If a person says he loves God
but he hates his brother, he is a liar. If he hates his brother whom
he has seen in person, how can he love God whom he has not seen in person?
[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?
And this is a commandment from God: the person who loves God also loves
his brother.
[21] And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love
his brother also.
1 John 5
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
is a child of God. If we love God, we will also love God's children.
[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.
This is how we
know that we love God's children - we obey God's commandments. We show our love
by obeying God's commandments. His commandments are not hard to follow.
[2] By this 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.
Whoever is God's child overcomes the world. Our faith
gives us victory over trouble in the world.
[4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
No one can defeat the world
unless he believe that Jesus is God's son.
[5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus
is the Son of God?
Jesus Christ came to us by water and blood. The
Holy Spirit tells us the truth.
[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.
There
are 3 in heaven - the Father, the Word (Son), and the Holy Spirit. These 3 are
1.
[7] For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
There are 3 that tell us
this on earth - the spirit, the water, and the blood. These 3 agree in 1.
[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 things that God tells us
are greater than the things that men tell us. God told us this through His
Son.
[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.
The person who believes in
God's Son has the truth. The person who does not believe in God's son is a
liar. He doesnt't believe what Jesus said.
[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.
God has
given us eternal life in His Son. The people who have the Son will have life.
The people who do not have the Son will not have life.
[11] And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and
this life is in his Son.
[12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God
hath not life.
I have written
these things to you who are believers. I write them so that you will live
forever. I write them so you will believe in the Son of God.
[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.
We can be confident in this -- if we ask anything that
is in His will, He will hear us. Since we know that He hears us, we know He will
give us what we ask.
[14] And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any
thing according to his will, he heareth 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.
A man might see someone else
sin, but the sin does not lead to death. He can ask God to give that
person life. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying to pray for
that sin.
[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.
Everything that is not good is
sin. Every sin does not lead to death.
[17] All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
People who are
born again in God do not sin. Jesus keeps them safe and doesn't let Satan touch
them.
[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 we are
children of God. The whole world is in wickedness.
[19] And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in
wickedness.
We
know that God's Son has come. He has made us understand so we know Him. He
is true. If we are in Him, we are true in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true
God. This is life forever.
[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.
Little children,
keep away from idols. Amen.
[21] Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
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