1 John
Chapter 1

1 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life—

论到那从起初就有的生命的圣言，就是我们听见过，我们亲眼看见过，瞻仰过，以及我们亲手摸过的生命的圣言－－

2 for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us—

这生命已显示出来，我们看见了，也为他作证，且把这原与父同在，且已显示给我们的永远的生命，传报给你们－－

3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

我们将所见所闻的传报给你们，为使你们也同我们相通；原来我们是同父和他的子耶稣基督相通的。

4 We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

我们给你们写这些事，是为叫我们的喜乐得以圆满。

5 Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, 2 and in him there is no darkness at all.

我们由他所听见，而传报给你们的，就是这个信息：天主是光，在他内没有一点黑暗。

6 If we say, ＂We have fellowship with him,＂ while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.

如果我们说我们与他相通，但仍在黑暗中行走，我们就是说谎，不履行真理。

7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

但如果我们在光中行走，如同他在光中一样，我们就彼此相通，他圣子耶稣的血就会洗净我们的各种罪过。

8 If we say, ＂We are without sin,＂ we deceive ourselves, 3 and the truth is not in us.

如果我们说我们没有罪过，就是欺骗自己，真理也不在我们内。

9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.

但若我们明认我们的罪过，天主既是忠信正义的，必赦免我们的罪过，并洗净我们的各种不义。

10 If we say, ＂We have not sinned,＂ we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

如果我们说我们没有犯过罪，我们就是拿他当说谎者，他的话就不在我们内。



Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-4] There is a striking parallel to the prologue of the gospel of John (John 1:1-18), but the emphasis here is not on the preexistent Word but rather on the apostles' witness to the incarnation of life by their experience of the historical Jesus. He is the Word of life (1 John 1:1; cf John 1:4), the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible (1 John 1:2; cf John 1:14), and was heard, seen, looked upon, and touched by the apostles. The purpose of their teaching is to share that life, called fellowship . . . with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, with those who receive their witness (1 John 1:3; John 1:14, 16).

2 [5-7] Light is to be understood here as truth and goodness; darkness here is error and depravity (cf John 3:19-21; 17:17; Eph 5:8). To walk in light or darkness is to live according to truth or error, not merely intellectual but moral as well. Fellowship with God and with one another consists in a life according to the truth as found in God and in Christ.

3 [8-10] Denial of the condition of sin is self-deception and even contradictory of divine revelation; there is also the continual possibility of sin's recurrence. Forgiveness and deliverance from sin through Christ are assured through acknowledgment of them and repentance.

1 John
Chapter 2

1 My children, 1 I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.

我的孩子们，我给你们写这些事，是为叫你们不犯罪；但是，谁若犯了罪，我们在父那里有正义的耶稣基督作护慰者。

2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

他自己就是赎罪祭，赎我们的罪过，不但赎我们的，而且也赎全世界的罪过。

3 The way we may be sure 2 that we know him is to keep his command ments.

如果我们遵守他的命令，由此便知道我们认识他。

4  Whoever says, ＂I know him,＂ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

那说＂我认识他，＂而不遵守他命令的，是撒谎的人，在他内没有真理。

5 But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:

但是，谁若遵守他的话，天主的爱在他内才得以圆满；由此我们也知道，我们是在他内。

6 whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived.

那说自己住在他内的，就应当照那一位所行的去行。

7 3 Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

可爱的诸位，我给你们写的，不是一条新命令，而是你们从起初领受的旧命令：这旧命令就是你们所听的道理。

8 And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in him and among you, 4 for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

另一方面说，我给你们写的也是一条新命令－－就是在他和你们身上成为事实的－－因为黑暗正在消逝，真光已在照耀。

9 Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.

谁说自己在光中，而恼恨自己的弟兄，他至今仍是在黑暗中。

10 Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.

凡爱自己弟兄的，就是存留在光中，对于他就没有任何绊脚石；

11 Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

但是恼恨自己弟兄的，就是在黑暗中，且在黑暗中行走，不知道自己往那里去，因为黑暗弄瞎了他的眼睛。

12 5 I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven for his name's sake. 6

孩子们，我给你们写说：因他的名字，你们的罪已获得赦免。

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one.

父老们，我给你们写说：你们已认识了从起初就有的那一位。青年们，我给你们写说：你们已得胜了那恶者。

14 I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

小孩子们，我给你们写过：你们已认识了父。父老们，我给你们写过：你们已认识了从起初就有的那一位。青年们，我给你们写过：你们是强壮的，天主的话存留在你们内，你们也得胜了那恶者。

15 Do not love the world or the things of the world. 7 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

你们不要爱世界，也不要爱世界上的事；谁若爱世界，天父的爱就不在他内。

16 For all that is in the world, sensual lust, 8 enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.

原来世界上的一切：肉身的贪欲，眼目的贪欲，以及人生的骄奢，都不是出于父，而是出于世界。

17 Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

这世界和它的贪欲都要过去；但那履行天主旨意的，却永远存在。

18 Children, it is the last hour; 9 and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour.

小孩子们，现在是最末的时期了！就如你们听说过假基督要来，如今已经出了许多假基督，由此我们就知道现在是最末的时期了。

19 They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; 10 if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.

他们是出于我们中的，但不是属于我们的，因为，如果是属于我们的，必存留在我们中；但这是为显示他们都不是属于我们。

20 But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, 11 and you all have knowledge.

至于你们，你们由圣者领受了傅油，并且你们都晓得。

21 I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.

我给你们写信，不是你们不明白真理，而是因为你们明白真理，并明白各种谎言不是出于真理。

22 12 Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.

谁是撒谎的呢？岂不是那否认耶稣为默西亚的吗？那否认父和子的，这人便是假基督。

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

凡否认子的，也否认父；那明认子的，也有父。

24 Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. 13

至于你们，应把从起初所听见的，存留在你们内；如果你们从起初所听见的，存留在你们内，你们必存留在子和父内。

25 And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.

这就是他给我们所预许的恩惠：即永远的生命。

26 I write you these things about those who would deceive you.

这些就是我关于迷惑你们的人，给你们所写的。

27 As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him.

至于你们，你们由他所领受的傅油，常存在你们内，你们就不需要谁教训你们，而是有他的傅油教训你们一切。这傅油是真实的，决不虚假，所以这傅油怎样教训你们，你们就怎样存留在他内。

28 14 And now, children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming.

现在，孩子们，你们常存在他内罢！为的是当他显现时，我们可以放心大胆，在他来临时，不至于在他面前蒙羞。

29 If you consider that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him.

你们既然知道他是正义的，就该知道凡履行正义的，都是由他而生的。


Footnotes(注解)

,
1 [1] Children: like the term ＂beloved,＂ this is an expression of pastoral love (cf John 13:33; 21:5; 1 Cor 4:14). Advocate: for the use of the term, see John 14:16. Forgiveness of sin is assured through Christ's intercession and expiation or ＂offering＂; the death of Christ effected the removal of sin.

2 [3-6] The way we may be sure: to those who claim, ＂I have known Christ and therefore I know him,＂ our author insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to God's commandments in a life conformed to the example of Christ; this confirms our knowledge of him and is the love of God . . . perfected. Disparity between moral life and the commandments proves improper belief.

3 [7-11] The author expresses the continuity and freshness of mutual charity in Christian experience. Through Christ the commandment of love has become the light defeating the darkness of evil in a new age. All hatred as darkness is incompatible with the light and Christian life. Note also the characteristic Johannine polemic in which a positive assertion is emphasized by the negative statement of its opposite.

4 [8] Which holds true in him and among you: literally, ＂a thing that holds true in him and in you.＂

5 [12-17] The Christian community that has experienced the grace of God through forgiveness of sin and knowledge of Christ is armed against the evil one.

6 [12] For his name's sake: because of Christ our sins are forgiven.

7 [15] The world: all that is hostile toward God and alienated from him. Love of the world and love of God are thus mutually exclusive; cf James 4:4.

8 [16] Sensual lust: literally, ＂the lust of the flesh,＂ inordinate desire for physical gratification. Enticement for the eyes: literally, ＂the lust of the eyes,＂ avarice or covetousness; the eyes are regarded as the windows of the soul. Pretentious life: literally, ＂pride of life,＂ arrogance or ostentation in one's earthly style of life that reflects a willful independence from God and others.

9 [18] It is the last hour: literally, ＂a last hour,＂ the period between the death and resurrection of Christ and his second coming. The antichrist: opponent or adversary of Christ; the term appears only in 1 John-2 John, but ＂pseudochrists＂ (translated ＂false messiahs＂) in Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22, and Paul's ＂lawless one＂ in 2 Thes 2:3, are similar figures. Many antichrists: Matthew, Mark, and Rev seem to indicate a collectivity of persons, here related to the false teachers.

10 [19] Not really of our number: the apostate teachers only proved their lack of faith by leaving the community.

11 [20] The anointing that comes from the holy one: this anointing is in the Old Testament sense of receiving the Spirit of God. The Holy One probably refers to Christ. True knowledge is the gift of the Spirit (cf Isaiah 11:2), and the function of the Spirit is to lead Christians to the truth (John 14:17, 26; 16:13).

12 [22-23] Certain gnostics denied that the earthly Jesus was the Christ; to deny knowledge of the Son is to deny the Father, since only through the Son has God been fully revealed (John 1:18; 14:8-9).

13 [24] Continuity with the apostolic witness as proclaimed in the prologue is the safeguard of right belief.

14 [28-29] Our confidence at his judgment is based on the daily assurance of salvation. Our actions reflect our true relation to him.

1 John
Chapter 3

1 1 See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

请看父赐给我们何等的爱情，使我们得称为天主的子女，而且我们也真是如此。世界所以不认识我们，是因为不认识父。

2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed 2 we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

可爱的诸位，现在我们是天主的子女，但我们将来如何，还没有显明；可是我们知道：一显明了，我们必要相似他，因为我们要看见他实在怎样。

3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

所以，凡对他怀着这希望的，必圣洁自己，就如那一位是圣洁的一样。

4 Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. 3

凡是犯罪的，也就是作违法的事，因为罪过就是违法。

5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

你们也知道，那一位曾显示出来，是为除免罪过，在他身上并没有罪过。

6 No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him.

凡存在他内的，就不犯罪过；凡犯罪过的，是没有看见过他，也没有认识过他。

7 Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous.

孩子们，万不要让人迷惑你们！那行正义的，就是正义的人，正如那一位是正义的一样。

8 Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil.

那犯罪的，是属于魔鬼，因为魔鬼从起初就犯罪：天主子所以显现出来，是为消灭魔鬼的作为。

9 No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.4

凡由天主生的，就不犯罪过，因为天主的种子存留在他内，他不能犯罪，因为他是由天主生的。

10 In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

天主的子女和魔鬼的子女在这事上可以认出：就是凡不行正义的和不爱自己弟兄的，就不是出于天主。

11 5 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another,

原来你们从起初所听的训令就是：我们应彼此相爱；

12 unlike Cain who belonged to the evil one and slaughtered his brother. Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, and those of his brother righteous.

不可像那属于恶者和杀害自己兄弟的加音。加音究竟为什么杀了他？因为他自己的行为是邪恶的，而他兄弟的行为是正义的。

13 Do not be amazed, (then,) brothers, if the world hates you.

弟兄们，如果世界恼恨你们，不必惊奇。

14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death.

我们知道，我们已出死入生了，因为我们爱弟兄们；那不爱的，就存在死亡内。

15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

凡恼恨自己弟兄的，便是杀人的；你们也知道：凡杀人的，便没有永远的生命存在他内。

16 The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

我们所以认识了爱，因为那一位为我们舍弃了自己的生命，我们也应当为弟兄们舍弃生命。

17 If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?

谁若有今世的财物，看见自己的弟兄有急难，却对他关闭自己怜悯的心肠，天主的爱怎能存在他内？

18 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.

孩子们，我们爱，不可只用言语，也不可只用口舌，而要用行动和事实。

19 6 (Now) this is how we shall know that we 7 belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him

在这一点上我们可以认出，我们是出于真理的，并且在他面前可以安心；

20 in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

纵然我们的心责备我们，我们还可以安心，因为天主比我们的心大，他原知道一切。

21 Beloved, if (our) hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God

可爱的诸位，假使我们的心不责备我们，在天主前便可放心大胆；

22 and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

那么我们无论求什么，必由他获得，因为我们遵守了他的命令，行了他所喜悦的事。

23 And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.

他的命令就是叫我们信他的子耶稣基督的名字，并按照他给我们所出的命令，彼此相爱。

24 Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us.

那遵守他命令的，就住在他内，天主也住在这人内。我们所以知道他住在我们内，是借他赐给我们的圣神。



Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-3] The greatest sign of God's love is the gift of his Son (John 3:16) that has made Christians true children of God. This relationship is a present reality and also part of the life to come; true knowledge of God will ultimately be gained, and Christians prepare themselves now by virtuous lives in imitation of the Son.

2 [2] When it is revealed: or "when he is revealed" (the subject of the verb could be Christ).

3 [4] Lawlessness: a reference to the activity of the antichrist, so it is expressed as hostility toward God and a rejection of Christ. The author goes on to contrast the states of sin and righteousness. Christians do not escape sin but realize that when they sin they cease to have fellowship with God. Virtue and sin distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil.

4 [9] A habitual sinner is a child of the devil, while a child of God, who by definition is in fellowship with God, cannot sin. Seed: Christ or the Spirit who shares the nature of God with the Christian.

5 [11-18] Love, even to the point of self-sacrifice, is the point of the commandment. The story of Cain and Abel (1 John 3:12-15; Genesis 4:1-16) presents the rivalry of two brothers, in a contrast of evil and righteousness, where envy led to murder. For Christians, proof of deliverance is love toward others, after the example of Christ. This includes concrete acts of charity, out of our material abundance.

6 [19-24] Living a life of faith in Jesus and of Christian love assures us of abiding in God no matter what our feelings may at times tell us. Our obedience gives us confidence in prayer and trust in God's judgment. This obedience includes our belief in Christ and love for one another.

7 [19b-20] This difficult passage may also be translated "we shall be at peace before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for . . ." or "and before God we shall convince our hearts, if our hearts condemn us, that God is greater than our hearts."

1 John
Chapter 4

1 1 Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

可爱的诸位，不要凡神就信，但要考验那些神是否出于天主，因为有许多假先知来到了世界上。

2 This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh be longs to God,

你们凭此可认出天主的神：凡明认耶稣为默西亚，且在肉身内降世的神，便是出于天主；

3 and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus 2 does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world.

凡否认耶稣的神，就不是出于天主，而是属于假基督的；你们已听说过他要来，现今他已在世界上了。

4 You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

孩子们，你们出于天主，且已得胜了他们，因为那在你们内的，比那在世界上的更大。

5 They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them.

他们属于世界，因此讲论属于世界的事，而世界就听从他们。

6 We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

我们却是出于天主的；那认识天主的，必听从我们；那不出于天主的，便不听从我们：由此我们可以认出真理的神和欺诈的神来。

7 3 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

可爱的诸位，我们应该彼此相爱，因为爱是出于天主；凡有爱的，都是生于天主，也认识天主；

8 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.

那不爱的，也不认识天主，因为天主是爱。

9 In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.

天主对我们的爱在这事上已显出来：就是天主把自己的独生子，打发到世界上来，好使我们借着他得到生命。

10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

爱就在于此：不是我们爱了天主，而是他爱了我们，且打发自己的儿子，为我们做赎罪祭。

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another.

可爱的诸位，既然天主这样爱了我们，我们也应该彼此相爱。

12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.

从来没有人瞻仰过天主；如果我们彼此相爱，天主就存留在我们内，他的爱在我们内才是圆满的。

13 4 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit.

我们所以知道我们存留在他内，他存留在我们内，就是由于他赐给了我们的圣神。

14 Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.

至于我们，我们却曾瞻仰过，并且作证：父打发了子来作世界的救主。

15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.

谁若明认耶稣是天主子，天主就存在他内，他也存在天主内。

16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.

我们认识了，且相信了天主对我们所怀的爱。天主是爱，那存留在爱内的，就存留在天主内，天主也存留在他内。

17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world.

我们内的爱得以圆满，即在于此：就是我们可在审判的日子放心大胆，因为那一位怎样，我们在这世界上也怎样。

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

在爱内没有恐惧，反之，圆满的爱把恐惧驱逐于外，因为恐惧内含着惩罚；那恐惧的，在爱内还没有圆满。

19 We love because he first loved us.

我们应该爱，因为天主先爱了我们。

20 If anyone says, ＂I love God,＂ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God 5 whom he has not seen.

假使有人说：我爱天主，但他却恼恨自己的弟兄，便是撒谎的；因为那不爱自己所看见的弟兄的，就不能爱自己所看不见的天主。

21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

我们从他蒙受了这命令：那爱天主的，也该爱自己的弟兄。



Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-6] Deception is possible in spiritual phenomena and may be tested by its relation to Christian doctrine (cf 1 Cor 12:3): those who fail to acknowledge Jesus Christ in the flesh are false prophets and belong to the antichrist. Even though these false prophets are well received in the world, the Christian who belongs to God has a greater power in the truth.

2 [3] Does not acknowledge Jesus: some ancient manuscripts add ＂Christ＂ and/or ＂to have come in the flesh＂ (cf 1 John 4:2), and others read ＂every spirit that annuls (or severs) Jesus.＂

3 [7-12] Love as we share in it testifies to the nature of God and to his presence in our lives. One who loves shows that one is a child of God and knows God, for God's very being is love; one without love is without God. The revelation of the nature of God's love is found in the free gift of his Son to us, so that we may share life with God and be delivered from our sins. The love we have for one another must be of the same sort: authentic, merciful; this unique Christian love is our proof that we know God and can ＂see＂ the invisible God.

4 [13-21] The testimony of the Spirit and that of faith join the testimony of love to confirm our knowledge of God. Our love is grounded in the confession of Jesus as the Son of God and the example of God's love for us. Christian life is founded on the knowledge of God as love and on his continuing presence that relieves us from fear of judgment (1 John 4:16-18). What Christ is gives us confidence, even as we live and love in this world. Yet Christian love is not abstract but lived in the concrete manner of love for one another.

5 [20] Cannot love God: some ancient manuscripts read ＂how can he love . . . ?＂

1 John
Chapter 5

1 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the father loves (also) the one begotten by him.

凡信耶稣为默西亚的，是由天主所生的；凡爱生他之父的，也必爱那由他所生的。

2 In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments.

几时我们爱天主，又遵行他的诫命，由此知道我们真爱天主的子女。

3 For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome,

原来爱天主，就是遵行他的诫命，而他的诫命并不沉重，

4 for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

因为凡是由天主所生的，必得胜世界；得胜世界的胜利武器，就是我们的信德。

5 Who (indeed) is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

谁是得胜世界的呢？不是那信耶稣为天主子的人吗？

6 This is the one who came through water and blood, 2 Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth.

这位就是经过水及血而来的耶稣基督，他不但以水，而且也是以水及血而来的；并且有圣神作证，因为圣神是真理。

7 So there are three that testify,

原来作证的有三个：

8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord.

就是圣神，水及血，而这三个是一致的。

9 If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son.

人的证据，我们既然接受，但天主的证据更大，因为天主的证据就是他为自己的子作证。

10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.

那信天主子的，在自己内就怀有这证据；那不信天主的，就是以天主为撒谎者，因为他不信天主为自己的子所作的证。

11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

这证据就是天主将永远的生命赐给了我们，而这生命是在自己的子内。

12 Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.

那有子的，就有生命；那没有天主子的，就没有生命。

13 3 I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

我给你们这些信天主子名字的人，写了这些事，是为叫你们知道：你们已获有永远的生命。

14 And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

我们对天主所怀的依恃之心就是：如果我们按他的旨意求什么，他必俯听我们。

15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours.

我们既然知道：我们不拘向他祈求什么，他会俯听我们，我们也知道向他所祈求的，必要得到。

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray.

谁若看见自己的弟兄犯了不至于死的罪，就应当祈求，天主必赏赐他生命：这是为那些犯不至于死的罪人而说的；然而有的罪却是至于死的罪，为这样的罪，我不说要人祈求。

17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.

任何的不义都是罪过，但也有不至于死的罪过。

18 We know that no one begotten by God sins; but the one begotten by God he protects, and the evil one cannot touch him.

我们知道：凡由天主生的，就不犯罪过；而且由天主生的那一位必保全他，那恶者不能侵犯他。

19 We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one.

我们知道我们属于天主，而全世界却屈服于恶者。

20 We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

我们也知道天主子来了，赐给了我们理智，叫我们认识那真实者；我们确实是在那真实者内，即在他的子耶稣基督内，他即是真实的天主和永远的生命。

21 Children, be on your guard against idols.

孩子们，你们要谨慎，远避偶像！



Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-5] Children of God are identified not only by their love for others (1 John 4:7-9) and for God (1 John 5:1-2) but by their belief in the divine sonship of Jesus Christ. Faith, the acceptance of Jesus in his true character and the obedience in love to God's commands (1 John 5:3), is the source of the Christian's power in the world and conquers the world of evil (1 John 5:4-5), even as Christ overcame the world (John 16:33).

2 [6-12] Water and blood (1 John 5:6) refers to Christ's baptism (Matthew 3:16-17) and to the shedding of his blood on the cross (John 19:34). The Spirit was present at the baptism (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32, 34). The testimony to Christ as the Son of God is confirmed by divine witness (1 John 5:7-9), greater by far than the two legally required human witnesses (Deut 17:6). To deny this is to deny God's truth; cf John 8:17-18. The gist of the divine witness or testimony is that eternal life (1 John 5:11-12) is given in Christ and nowhere else. To possess the Son is not acceptance of a doctrine but of a person who lives now and provides life.

3 [13-21] As children of God we have confidence in prayer because of our intimate relationship with him (1 John 5:14-15). In love, we pray (1 John 5:16-17) for those who are in sin, but not in deadly sin (literally, "sin unto death"), probably referring to apostasy or activities brought on under the antichrist; cf Mark 3:29; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31. Even in the latter case, however, prayer, while not enjoined, is not forbidden. The letter concludes with a summary of the themes of the letter (1 John 5:18-20). There is a sharp antithesis between the children of God and those belonging to the world and to the evil one. The Son reveals the God of truth; Christians dwell in the true God, in his Son, and have eternal life. The final verse (1 John 5:21) voices a perennial warning about idols, any type of rival to God.