Christ is our advocate. We must keep his commandments and love one another. We must not love the world nor give ear to new teachers, but abide by the spirit of God in the church.

¹ My little sons, this I write to you, so that you may not sin. But if anyone has sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One.

² And he is the propitiation for our sins. And not only for our sins, but also for those of the whole world.

³ And we can be sure that we have known him by this: if we observe his commandments.¹

1. 2:3We have known him, if we keep his commandments: He speaks of that practical knowledge by love and affection, which can only be proved by our keeping his commandments; and without which we can not be said to know God as we should do.(Challoner)

⁴ Whoever claims that he knows him, and yet does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

⁵ But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the charity of God is perfected. And by this we know that we are in him.

⁶ Whoever declares himself to remain in him, ought to walk just as he himself walked.

⁷ Most beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but the old commandment, which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word, which you have heard.

⁸ Then too, I am writing to you a new commandment, which is the Truth in him and in you. For the darkness has passed away, and the true Light is now shining.¹

1. 2:8A new commandment: Viz., the commandment of love, which was first given in the old law; but was renewed and extended by Christ. See John 13.34.(Challoner)

⁹ Whoever declares himself to be in the light, and yet hates his brother, is in the darkness even now.

¹⁰ Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause of offense in him.

¹¹ But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness, and in darkness he walks, and he does not know where he is going. For the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹² I am writing to you, little sons, because your sins are forgiven for the sake of his name.

¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, adolescents, because you have overcome the evil one.

¹⁴ I am writing to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I am writing to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

¹⁵ Do not choose to love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.

¹⁶ For all that is in the world is the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the arrogance of a life which is not of the Father, but is of the world.

¹⁷ And the world is passing away, with its desire. But whoever does the will of God abides unto eternity.

¹⁸ Little sons, it is the last hour. And, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have arrived. By this, we know that it is the last hour.¹²

1. 2:18It is the last hour: That is, it is the last age of the world.(Challoner)
2. 2:18Many Antichrists;: that is, many heretics, enemies of Christ and his church, and forerunners of the great Antichrist.(Challoner)

¹⁹ They went out from among us, but they were not of us. For, if they had been of us, certainly they would have remained with us. But in this way, it is made manifest that none of them are of us.¹

1. 2:19They were not of us: That is, they were not solid, steadfast, genuine Christians: otherwise they would have remained in the church.(Challoner)

²⁰ Yet you have the anointing of the Holy One, and you know everything.¹²

1. 2:20The unction from the Holy One: That is, grace and wisdom from the Holy Ghost.(Challoner)
2. 2:20Know all things: The true children of God’s church, remaining in unity, under the guidance of their lawful pastors, partake of the grace of the Holy Ghost, promised to the church and her pastors; and have in the church all necessary knowledge and instruction; so as to have no need to seek it elsewhere, since it can be only found in that society of which they are members.(Challoner)

²¹ I have not written to you as to ones who are ignorant of the truth, but as to ones who know the truth. For no lie is of the truth.

²² Who is a liar, other than he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

²³ No one who denies the Son also has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son, also has the Father.

²⁴ As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you, too, shall abide in the Son and in the Father.

²⁵ And this is the Promise, which he himself has promised to us: Eternal Life.¹

1. 2:25The Promise, and the Life, and the Anointing, is the Holy Spirit.(Conte)

²⁶ I have written these things to you, because of those who would seduce you.

²⁷ But as for you, let the Anointing that you have received from him abide in you. And so, you have no need of anyone to teach you. For his Anointing teaches you about everything, and it is the truth, and it is not a lie. And just as his Anointing has taught you, abide in him.¹

1. 2:27You have no need, etc: You want not to be taught by any of these men, who, under pretence of imparting more knowledge to you, seek to seduce you (ver. 26), since you are sufficiently taught already, and have all knowledge and grace in the church, with the unction of the Holy Ghost; which these new teachers have no share in.(Challoner)

²⁸ And now, little sons, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have faith, and we may not be confounded by him at his advent.

²⁹ If you know that he is just, then know, too, that all who do what is just are born of him.