1 C hrist is the Word of Life. He was from the beginning. We have heard Him and have seen Him with our own eyes. We have looked at Him and put our hands on Him.

about the Word of Life '> in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our eyes, Whom we have gazed upon and have touched with our hands.

2 C hrist Who is Life was shown to us. We saw Him. We tell you and preach about the Life that lasts forever. He was with the Father and He has come down to us.

And the Life '> an aspect of His being] was revealed (made manifest, demonstrated), and we saw and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life '> in Him] Who already existed with the Father and Who was made visible (was revealed) to us.

3 W e are preaching what we have heard and seen. We want you to share together with us what we have with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

What we have seen and heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And fellowship that we have '> distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

4 W e are writing this to you so our joy may be full. Christians Are to Live in the Light

And we are now writing these things to you so that our joy may be full '> your joy may be complete].

5 T his is what we heard Him tell us. We are passing it on to you. God is light. There is no darkness in Him.

And this is the message '> promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all '> no, not in any way].

6 I f we say we are joined together with Him but live in darkness, we are telling a lie. We are not living the truth.

if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth.

7 I f we live in the light as He is in the light, we share what we have in God with each other. And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, makes our lives clean from all sin.

But if we are living and walking in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt.

8 I f we say that we have no sin, we lie to ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we say we have no sin, we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth is not in us.

9 I f we tell Him our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on Him to forgive us of our sins. He will make our lives clean from all sin.

If we admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 I f we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar. And His Word is not in our hearts.

If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us.