1 John 1
1 We write to you about the Word of life, which has been in existence from the beginning. We write of what we have heard, of what we have seen with our eyes, of what we watched reverently and touched with our hands.
[I, John, am writing to you about] the one who existed before [there was anything else]. He is the one whom we [apostles] listened to [as he taught us!] We saw him! We ourselves looked at him and touched him! [He is the one who taught us] the message that [enables people to have eternal] life (OR, live [spiritually]).
2 That life was made visible, and we have seen it. We bear our testimony to it, and tell you of that eternal life which was with the Father and was made visible to us. (aiōnios g166)
Because he came here [to the earth] and we have seen him, we proclaim to you clearly that the one whom we have seen is the [one who] has always lived. He was [previously] with his Father in heaven, but he came to live among us. (aiōnios g166)
3 It is of what we have seen and heard that we now tell you, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We proclaim to you the [message about Jesus], the one whom we saw and heard, in order that you may have a close relationship with us. The ones whom we have a close relationship with are God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
4 We are writing all this to you that our joy may be complete.
I am writing to you about these things so that [you (will be convinced/believe]) [that they are true, and as a] result we may be completely joyful.
5 This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
The message that we heard from Christ and proclaim to you is this: God is [pure in every way. He never sins. He is like] [MET] a [brilliant] light that has no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and yet continue to walk in the darkness, our words and our lives are a lie.
If we claim to have a close relationship with [God], but [we conduct our lives in an impure manner, that is like] living [MET] in [evil] darkness. We are lying. We are not conducting our lives according to [God’s] true message.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
But living [in a pure manner], as God is [living in a pure manner] [MET] [in every way, is like living] in God’s light. If we do that, we have a close relationship with each other. Not only that, but [God] (acquits us/removes [the guilt]) [of] all our sins because [he accepts] what his Son Jesus did for us [when his] blood [flowed from his body when he died. So we should conduct our lives] ([in a manner according to what God says is pure]).
8 If we say, ‘we have no sin,’ then we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Those who say they never behave sinfully are deceiving themselves, and refusing [to accept as] true [what God says about them].
9 If we confess our sins, he is just and may be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all wrongdoing.
But God will do what he says that he will do, and what he does is [always] right. So, if we confess to him that we [have behaved] sinfully, he will forgive [us for] our sins and (will free us from/remove) [the guilt of] all our sins. [Because of that], [we should confess to him that we have behaved sinfully].
10 If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make God a liar, and his Word is not in us.
[Because God says that everyone has sinned], those who say/claim that they have never behaved sinfully talk [as though] God lies! They reject what God says [about us]!
