1  Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2  This is how we know that we sincerely love the children of God: by sincerely loving God and keeping His commandments. 3  For this is God’s sincere love, that we keep His commandments. His commandments aren’t burdensome, 4  for whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. 5  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but one who believes that Jesus is God’s Son? 6  This is He who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. 7  It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that testify, 8  the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three are in agreement as one. 9  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; because this is God’s testimony which He has testified about His Son. 10  One who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. One who doesn’t believe God has accused Him of being a liar, because he hasn’t believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11  This is the witness, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12  Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have life.

13  I have written these things to you who believe in the name of God’s Son, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14  This is the confidence that we have in Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15  If we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

16  If you see your brother or sister committing a sin not leading to death, you should ask, and God will, for you, give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a kind of sin leading to death. I don’t say that you should make requests for this. 17  All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a kind of sin that doesn’t lead to death.

18  We know that anyone who is born of God doesn’t keep sinning, but He who was born of God keeps him. The wicked one doesn’t harm or even touch him. 19  We know that we belong to God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20  We know that God’s Son has come, and has given us understanding, so that we might know Him who is true. We are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols.