First General Letter of Yâhuwchânâ´n
יָהוּחָנָן א
Regarding Whom, and Why:
1. ¶ Concerning the Word of the Life and the Life[E1] , He Who was from the First, He Whom we have heard, He Whom we have seen with our own eyes, He Whom we gazed upon and our hands did touch:
2. He was manifested! And we have seen and testify and report to you the One of Endless Life, the same One that was before the Father, and was manifested to us!
4. So we write these things to you that our joy that is about you may be full.
Walk in the Light
5. ¶ And this is the glad tidings, which we have heard from Him, and announce to you:
“The Mighty One is Light, and in Him there is not any darkness at all!”
6. So if we should say that we have fellowship with Him, but we should walk about in darkness, we are deceived and do not walk in[E2] the Truth;
7. But if we should walk about within the Light, as He is within the Light, we do have fellowship with each other; and the blood of Yâhuwshúa`, His Son, cleanses[E3] us from every sin.
Be released from sins
9. So if we should confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous in order that He might release the sins from us, and might cleanse us from all unrighteousness!
10. But if we should say that we have not sinned, we make a liar of Him, and His Word is not within us.
2. And He Himself is the Compensator concerning our sins; yet not only concerning the ones our own, rather also concerning those of the whole world!
How we recognize that we acknowledge Him
3. And by this we recognize that we have acknowledged Him, if we should observe His commandments.
4. The one alleging: “I acknowledge Him”, but isn’t observing His commandments, is a liar; and the Truth is not within this one.
5. But whoever might guard His Word [יָהוּשֻׁעַ Yâhuwshúa`], truly within this one the Affectionate Love of Yâ-hwéh (יָהְוֶה He causes to be/exist) has been accomplished[E4] . By this we recognize that we are within Him.
6. The one alleging to stay within Him ought, just as that One walked about, also thus himself to walk about.
Haters walk in darkness
7. ¶ Brothers, I am not writing a new commandment to you, rather, an unrecent commandment that ye have retained from within the First[E5] : the unrecent commandment is the Word, which ye have heard from the First.
8. On the other hand, I do write to you a new commandment, which is true within Him and within you, because the darkness has passed away, and the true Light already shines: [Righteousness by persuasion (Chanówkh 56: 5)]
9. The one alleging to be in the Light, but hating his brother, is within the darkness until right now.
10. The one affectionately loving his brother stays in the Light, and there is no deceit within him.
11. But the one hating his brother is within the darkness, and walks about within the darkness, and doesn’t discern where he goes because the darkness blinded his eyes.
Believers described
12. ¶ I describe you as sons [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 1: 14], because ye have been released from sins through His name. [Deeds of the Delegates 10: 43]
13. I describe you as fathers because ye have acknowledged the One from within the First[E6] . I describe you as youths because ye have overcome the Wicked one.
Do not love the world
I wrote this to you, sons, because ye have recognized the Father;
14. I wrote this to you, fathers, because ye have acknowledged Him Who is from within the First[E7] ; I wrote this to you, youths, because ye are strong and Yâ-hwéh’s Word [Yâhuwshúa` (Disclosure 19: 13)] dwells in you, so ye have overcome the Wicked one [5: 5]:
15. Do not affectionately love the world, nor the things within the world. If anyone might affectionately love the world, the affectionate love for the Father is not in him;
16. Because all that which is within the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boasting of the present state of existence, is not from the One of the Father, rather, is from the one of the world;
17. And the one of the world is passing away with his lust, but the One doing the will of Yâ-hwéh dwells for the ages.
About those who left Yâhuwshúa`’s name
18. ¶ My sons, it is the last hour, and just as ye heard that the anointed falsifier comes, even now many anointed falsifiers have arisen, whence we may recognize that it is the last hour.
19. They departed from among us; nevertheless they were not from among us, for if they were from among us, they would have remained with us. Instead, they departed from among us in order that they should be shown that they are not from among us. [Yshá`Yâhuw 45: 14]
20. But ye have the anointing from the Pure One, so ye discern all things.
21. I did not write to you because ye do not discern the Truth, rather, because ye do discern it, and that any falsehood is not from the Truth.
22. Who is the liar, if not he who is denying that Yâhuwshúa` is the Anointed One? And this one is an anointed falsifier*[E8] , he who is denying the Father and the Son.
23. And everyone denying the Son neither has he believed the Father! The one professing the Son also acknowledges the Father.
24. Therefore ye, let that name which ye heard from the First stay in you. For if that name which ye heard from the First might stay within you, ye also shall stay within the Son and within the Father.
25. And this is the promise that He promised us: the Endless Life.
Beware deviating leaders
26. ¶ So I wrote these things to you concerning the ones who guide you astray;
27. But concerning ye, if the anointing that ye received is from Him, He stays in you, so ye do not have a need in order that anyone might guide you. Instead, as the anointing is His, it instructs you about all things, and it is true and it is not a falsehood. So, in the same way it has instructed you, ye shall stay within Him. [Verse 24, Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 14: 23]
28. So now, my sons, stay in Him, in order that when He might be manifested, we should have confidence within His presence and we should not be put to shame before His coming.
29. When ye discern that He is the Righteous One, ye recognize that everyone performing the doctrine to obtain[E9] righteousness is procreated from Him.
Sin: definition, solution
5. And ye do discern that He was manifested in order that He might bear away our sins, yet there is not a sin in Him.
6. Everyone staying in Him does not sin. Everyone sinning has not seen Him, nor has acknowledged Him.
7. My sons, let no one cause you to wander astray! The one performing justification is righteous, just as the Anointed[E10] is righteous.
Distinguishing Sons of the Accuser vs. Bnëy Yâ-hwéh
8. The one performing sin is from the Adversary, because the Adversary has sinned from the beginning. For this, the Son of the Mighty One was manifested: that He might undo the works of the Adversary.
9. Everyone having been procreated from Yâ-hwéh does not perform sin, because His Seed [Yâhuwshúa`, the Word of Yâ-hwéh - Luwqá’ 8: 11] stays within him; and he is not willing to sin, because he has been procreated from Yâ-hwéh.
10. By this the sons of Yâ-hwéh and the sons of the Adversary are distinguished[E11] : everyone not fulfilling justification is not procreated of Yâ-hwéh, as also the one not affectionately loving his brother. [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 13: 35]
11. Because this is the message that ye heard from the First, that we should affectionately love one another! [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 15: 12]
12. Not as Qáyin, who was from the Wicked one[E12] , and slew his brother. Yet why did he slay him? Because his works were wicked, but those of his brother righteous.
13. So do not wonder, my brothers, if the world hates you.
14. We discern that we have crossed from death into Life because we affectionately love the brothers. He who does not affectionately love his brother stays within death.
15. Everyone hating his brother is a murderer, and ye know that every murderer does not have endless Life continuing within him.
16. By this we have acknowledged His Affectionate Love for us because that One laid down His Self for us; so we ought to lay down our selves for the brothers. [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 15: 13]
17. But whoever might have the means of livelihood of the world, and might see his brother having a need, but might shut up his compassions from him; how does the Affectionate Love of Yâ-hwéh dwell within him?
18. My sons, we should not affectionately love by expression and by language only, rather, by deed and in Truth.
19. And by this affectionate love, we recognize that we are from the Truth, and persuade our hearts before His coming.
How we can make sure
20. Because if the heart might condemn us, how much greater is Yâ-hwéh greater than our heart? And He absolutely knows all things.
21. My beloved, if our heart might not condemn us, we have confidence before Yâ-hwéh,
22. And whatsoever we should ask, we will receive from Him, because we do observe His commandments and we do perform that which is pleasing in His sight. [Contrast Yshá`Yâhuw 65: 11-12]
23. And these are His commandments: that we should believe on the name of His Son, Yâhuwshúa` the Anointed and we should Affectionately love one another, just as He has given commandment to us delegates.
24. And the one observing His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him; and by this we recognize that He dwells in us: from the Spirit that He has given to us.
Distinguishing the spirits of Yâ-hwéh from the Lie
2. By this, ye recognize the spirit of Yâ-hwéh: every spirit which professes that Yâhuwshúa` is the Anointed One Who has come in flesh, is from Yâ-hwéh;
3. But every spirit that does not profess Yâhuwshúa`*[E13] , is not from Yâ-hwéh — and this is that spirit of the anointed falsifier, which ye have heard that it shall come, and now it is already within the world, [contrast Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 14: 26]
4. But ye are from Yâ-hwéh, little children, and ye have overcome them, because greater is He Who is in you than he who is within the world!
5. They [spirits] are from the world; due to this, they talk from the world, and the world hears them.
6. We are from Yâ-hwéh; the one acknowledging Yâ-hwéh hears us, but he that is not from Yâ-hwéh does not hear us. From these things we recognize the Spirit of the Truth and the spirit of the fraud!
Affectionate Love and Acknowledgement distinguishes us
7. ¶ My beloved, we should affectionately love one another because Affectionate Love is from Yâ-hwéh, and everyone affectionately loving is procreated from the Mighty One, and acknowledges Yâ-hwéh,
8. Because the Mighty One is Affectionate Love. Anyone not affectionately loving does not acknowledge Yâ-hwéh.
9. The Affectionate Love of the Mighty One was shown unto us by this: that the Mighty One has sent His Son, the only Kin, into the world in order that we should live through His Arm! [Yshá`Yâhuw 53: 1, Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 3: 16, 15: 13]
10. In this action [v.9] is the Affectionate Love shown: not because we have affectionately loved the Mighty One, rather, because He has affectionately loved us, so His Son was sent, a Compensation concerning our sins.
11. Beloved, if Yâ-hwéh affectionately loved us thus, we also ought to affectionately love one another!
12. No one at any time has looked closely at the Mighty One. If we should affectionately love one another, Yâ-hwéh stays within us, and His Affectionate Love is accomplished within us.
13. By this affectionate love [v.12], we recognize that we stay within Him, and He stays within us, because He has granted it to us from His Spirit.
14. So we have looked closely at Him, and testify that the Father has sent the Son, the Deliverer of the world!
The profession which accomplishes Yâ-hwéh’s affectionate love within us
15. Whosoever may profess:
“Yâhuwshúa` is the Son of the Mighty One”
Yâ-hwéh stays within him, and he within Yâ-hwéh. [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 14: 23]
16. So we have acknowledged and have believed the Affectionate Love [by this profession], which Yâ-hwéh holds for us. For the Mighty One is Affectionate Love, so he who is dwelling within the Affectionate Love dwells within the Mighty One, and the Mighty One dwells within him.
17. And by this profession [v.15], has Affectionate Love been accomplished with us, in order that we should have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because just as He is the Son of the Mighty One [v.15], we also are sons of Yâ-hwéh within this world [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 1: 12].
Why we have no fear
18. There isn’t fear within the Affectionate Love; instead completed affectionate love [2: 5[E14] ] casts out the fear, because he who fears has a punishment, so the fearing one has not been made complete within the Affectionate Love.
19. We should affectionately love Him because He first affectionately loved us.
20. If anyone might say:
“I affectionately love Yâ-hwéh”
yet might hate his brother, he is a liar! For he who is not affectionately loving his brother whom he has seen, how is he able to affectionately love the Mighty One Whom he has not seen?
21. And this [v.7] is the commandment we have from Him, so that he who affectionately loves Yâ-hwéh should also affectionately love his brother!
1. Everyone believing that Yâhuwshúa` is the Anointed One, is procreated from the Mighty One, and everyone affectionately loving the One procreating should also affectionately love the one being procreated from Him.
2. And by this, we recognize that we affectionately love the sons of Yâ-hwéh: whenever we should affectionately love Yâ-hwéh and should observe His commandments.
3. For this purpose is the Affectionate Love of Yâ-hwéh [the Son’s being sent for our ransoming (4: 9)]: in order that we should observe His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. [New Covenant[E15] ]
We overcome by His name
4. Because all that has been procreated of Yâ-hwéh overcomes the world; and this is the means of victory that overcame the world: our persuasion.
5. For who is he who is overcoming the world, if not he who believes that Yâhuwshúa` is the Son of the Mighty One?
Yâhuwshúa`’s evidence of identity
6. This is He who came by means of water and blood[E16] : Yâhuwshúa`, the Anointed One. Not by water[E17] only, rather by water and blood [Yâhuwchânâ´n’s Glad Tidings 19: 34].
7. Also the Spirit is the Witness, because the Spirit is the Truth.
8. Because there are three that testify: [scribal addendum omitted[E18] ] the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are for the One.
9. If we accept the testimony of men, how much greater is the testimony of the Mighty One? Because this is the testimony of the Mighty One that He has witnessed concerning His Son.
10. He who is trusting on the Son of the Mighty One has the Witness within his self; he who is not believing the Mighty One has made Him out to be a liar because he has not believed in the testimony which the Mighty One has witnessed concerning His Son.
11. And this is the testimony:
“Yâ-hwéh has granted to us endless Life, and this Life is within His Son.
How to have Life and all we ask
13. These things I wrote to you: to those trusting on the name of the Son of the Mighty One, in order that ye may know that ye have endless life.
14. Also this is the outspokenness that we have towards Him, because if anything we may ask is according to His will, He hears us.
15. And when we discern that He does hear us about whatsoever we may ask, we discern that we already have those requests that we have asked from Him.
Pray for the unhardened brother who might sin
16. ¶ If anyone might see his brother sinning a sin not towards death, he shall ask for him, and He shall grant life to him, those of a sin not towards death. For there is a sin towards death: I am not saying that he might pray about that one. [YirmYâ´huw 7:13, 16, 11: 10-14, 14: 10-12[E19] ]
17. Every injustice is sin, yet there are sins not towards death.
Closing pearls
18. ¶ We understand that everyone who has been procreated from Yâ-hwéh does not sin, rather the one having been procreated of Yâ-hwéh guards his self, and the Wicked one does not touch him.
19. We recognize that we are from Yâ-hwéh, and the whole world is set in wickedness.
20. Yet we know that the Son of the Mighty One comes, and will give[E20] all of us an understanding in order that we all should acknowledge Him that is True, and we all shall be [E21] within the True One: within His Son, Yâhuwshúa` the Anointed. This One is the true ’Elohíym (Mighty Ones) with endless Life! [1: 2]
21. My sons, guard your selves from worshipped images.
First general letter of Yâhuwchânâ´n.
[E1]Considered part of verse two, the Life is the Father, the Word of the Life is the Son.
[E2]Greek text: “render”
[E3]“Cleanse” is more than merely atone (cover up), as animal blood used to do, and the establishment supposes His blood does, since they cannot stop sinning believing in false names.
[E4]His affectionate love is that He gave up His only-kin son’s life for His friends, and ultimately to save all creation. This love is accomplished when ones’ sins are released to become blameless, and this is possible now for the chosen.
[E5]Or “In the Beginning”, `Ivríyth (Hebrew): B-Rë’shíyth, the first word in the book of Genesis.
[E6]Or “In the Beginning”, `Ivríyth (Hebrew): B-Rë’shíyth, the first word in the book of Genesis.
[E7]Or “In the Beginning”, `Ivríyth (Hebrew): B-Rë’shíyth, the first word in the book of Genesis.
[E8]This term means that these are violators of the third commandment, to not lift up the name of Yâ-hwéh to falseness, in other words, to falsify His name.
[E9]Not in brackets, as it is part of the definition of δικαιοσυνη, according to this lexicon definition of the term:
1a) the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of [Yâ-hwéh]
Usually in this translation when this meaning of the term is used, the term “Justification” is used, but in this verse there is a comparison in terms. Establishment translations miss this meaning and errantly suggest legalism (procreation by performing the righteousness of the Law), when this passage has all been about keeping His Word within us.
[E10]The Greek texts say here “that One”.
[E11]The Greek texts say here “apparent”.
[E12]Some racial religions ignore the preceding verses 8-11 and isolate this to give it a different interpretation, to allege that the Adversary actually impregnated Chauwâ´h, which many scriptures contradict. Compare Yâhuwthâ´h 10.
[E13]The Peshitta Aramaic text has here: “has come in the flesh”. In order for a spirit not to be from Yâ-hwéh, it need only deny the Son, Yâhuwshúa`, by name, as per 2:22. The rendition you see here is as per 5 Greek editions: Griesbach 1805, Lachmann 1842-1850, Tischendorf 8th ed., Tregelles 1857-1872, Alford vols. i-iv.
[E14]Whoever might guard Yâ-hwéh’s Word, the name of Yâhuwshúa`, has had His love accomplished in him.
[E15]4: 9 says the Affectionate Love of Yâ-hwéh was shown through the only-kin Son’s being sent to ransom us into life. He was covenanted for the New Covenant, the purpose of the Affectionate Love, to write His Laws on our hearts and forget our sins.
[E16]Considered unclean, blood distinguishes humans as mortal.
[E17]Water may be the “blood” of spiritual creatures, like envoys. This sentence means Yâhuwshúa` was indeed human, yet has water also, being spiritual. Water and blood flowed from His side when He was pierced post-mortem.
[E18]Mention of this omission is made here due to the fame of the often cited uninspired scribal addendum inserted here without manuscript authority into establishment translations to prop up their false Trinitarian doctrine.
[E19]Ignoring the call of Yâ-hwéh, hardening their hearts. This is a sin towards death by judgment, which He says not to pray for, one prayer He will not listen to.
[E20]Here, a Greek translation error of an `Ivríyth (Hebrew) Waw-conversive future tense verb is corrected, judging from the context to be accurate this way.
[E21]Here, a Greek translation error of an `Ivríyth (Hebrew) Waw-conversive future tense verb is corrected, judging from the context to be accurate this way.