1 E very one who is believing that Jesus is the Christ, of God he hath been begotten, and every one who is loving Him who did beget, doth love also him who is begotten of Him:

The person who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. The person who loves the Father loves His children also.

2 i n this we know that we love the children of God, when we may love God, and His commands may keep;

This is the way we know we love God’s children. It is when we love God and obey His Word.

3 f or this is the love of God, that His commands we may keep, and His commands are not burdensome;

Loving God means to obey His Word, and His Word is not hard to obey.

4 b ecause every one who is begotten of God doth overcome the world, and this is the victory that did overcome the world -- our faith;

Every child of God has power over the sins of the world. The way we have power over the sins of the world is by our faith.

5 w ho is he who is overcoming the world, if not he who is believing that Jesus is the Son of God?

Who could have power over the world except by believing that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 T his one is he who did come through water and blood -- Jesus the Christ, not in the water only, but in the water and the blood; and the Spirit it is that is testifying, because the Spirit is the truth,

Jesus Christ came by water and blood. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. The Holy Spirit speaks about this and He is truth.

7 b ecause three are who are testifying [in the heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these -- the three -- are one;

There are three Who speak of this in heaven: the Father and the Word and the Holy Spirit. These three are one.

8 a nd three are who are testifying in the earth], the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are into the one.

There are three who speak of this on the earth: the Holy Spirit and the water and the blood. These three speak the same thing.

9 I f the testimony of men we receive, the testimony of God is greater, because this is the testimony of God that He hath testified concerning His Son.

If we believe what men say, we can be sure what God says is more important. God has spoken as He has told us about His Son.

10 H e who is believing in the Son of God, hath the testimony in himself; he who is not believing God, a liar hath made Him, because he hath not believed in the testimony that God hath testified concerning His Son;

The person who puts his trust in God’s Son knows in his own heart that Jesus is the Son of God. The person who does not have his trust in God’s Son makes God a liar. It is because he has not believed the word God spoke about His Son.

11 a nd this is the testimony, that life age-during did God give to us, and this -- the life -- is in His Son;

This is the word He spoke: God gave us life that lasts forever, and this life is in His Son.

12 h e who is having the Son, hath the life; he who is not having the Son of God -- the life he hath not.

He that has the Son has life. He that does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 T hese things I did write to you who are believing in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that life ye have age-during, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God.

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God. Now you can know you have life that lasts forever.

14 A nd this is the boldness that we have toward Him, that if anything we may ask according to his will, He doth hear us,

We are sure that if we ask anything that He wants us to have, He will hear us.

15 a nd if we have known that He doth hear us, whatever we may ask, we have known that we have the requests that we have requested from Him.

If we are sure He hears us when we ask, we can be sure He will give us what we ask for.

16 I f any one may see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give to him life to those sinning not unto death; there is sin to death, not concerning it do I speak that he may beseech;

You may see a Christian brother sinning in a way that does not lead to death. You should pray for him. God will give him life unless he has done that sin that leads to death. There is a sin that leads to death. There is no reason to pray for him if he has done that sin.

17 a ll unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not unto death.

Every kind of wrong-doing is sin. But there is a sin that does not lead to death.

18 W e have known that every one who hath been begotten of God doth not sin, but he who was begotten of God doth keep himself, and the evil one doth not touch him;

We know that no child of God keeps on sinning. The Son of God watches over him and the devil cannot get near him.

19 w e have known that of God we are, and the whole world in the evil doth lie;

We know that we belong to God, but the whole world is under the power of the devil.

20 a nd we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during!

We know God’s Son has come. He has given us the understanding to know Him Who is the true God. We are joined together with the true God through His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and the life that lasts forever.

21 L ittle children, guard yourselves from the idols! Amen.

My children, keep yourselves from false gods.