勝過世界的人
1每一個信耶穌是基督的人，都是從上帝生的。凡愛生他之上帝的，也愛上帝所生的。 2當我們愛上帝，遵行祂的命令時，便知道自己也愛祂的兒女。 3因為我們遵行上帝的命令就是愛上帝，祂的命令並不難遵守。 4因為凡是從上帝生的人都能勝過世界，使我們得勝的是我們的信心。 5誰能勝過世界呢？不就是那些信耶穌是上帝的兒子的人嗎？
上帝的見證
6耶穌基督是藉著水和血來的。祂不單是藉著水來的，也是藉著水和血來的，並且有聖靈為祂做見證，聖靈就是真理。 7這樣，做見證的共有三樣： 8聖靈、水和血。這三者是一致的。 9我們既然接受人的見證，就更該接受上帝的見證，因為上帝為祂的兒子作了見證。 10信上帝兒子的人心裡有這見證，不信上帝的人等於把上帝當作撒謊的，因為他不信上帝為祂兒子做的見證。 11這見證就是：上帝已經把永恆的生命賜給我們，這生命在祂兒子裡面。 12人有上帝的兒子，就有這生命；沒有上帝的兒子，就沒有這生命。
永恆的生命
13我把這些事寫給你們這些信上帝兒子之名的人，是要你們知道自己有永生。 14我們若按著上帝的旨意祈求，祂必垂聽，這是我們對上帝的信心。 15我們既然知道上帝垂聽我們一切的祈求，就知道我們能得到所求的。
16若有人看見信徒犯了不至於死的罪，就當為他禱告，上帝必將生命賜給他。有的罪會導致死亡，我並不是說你們要為這樣的罪禱告。 17一切不義的事都是罪，但有的罪不會導致死亡。
18我們知道從上帝生的不會繼續犯罪，因為上帝的兒子保護他，那惡者無法害他。 19我們知道自己屬於上帝，全世界都在那惡者手中。
20我們知道上帝的兒子已經來了，並且賜給了我們悟性，使我們能認識真神。我們在真神裡面，就是在祂兒子耶穌基督裡面。祂是真神，也是永生。
21孩子們啊，你們要遠離偶像！
Faith in the incarnate Son of God
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6This is the one who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the5:7,8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century) Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Concluding affirmations
13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.
16If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
