Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles

1Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God; and every one who loves Him who has begotten, loves him also who has been begotten by Him.

2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments:

3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.

4For, whatever has been born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.

5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6This is he who has come by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood; and the Spirit is

7He who testifies, inasmuch as the Spirit is truth. For there are three who testify in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

8And there are three who testify on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood;

9And these three agree in one. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater.

10Moreover, this is the testimony of God, which lie hath testified respecting his own Son (He who believes on the Son of God hath the testimony in himself;

11He who believes not God, makes him a liar, because he hath not believed the testimony which God hath testified respecting his own Son,) even this is the testimony, that God hath given to us eternal life;

12And this life is in his Son. He who hath the Son, hath life; he who hath not the Son of God, hath not life.

13These things have I written to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

14And this is the confidence which we have towards Him, that when we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:

15And if we know that he hears us when we ask any thing, we know that we have the petitions which we have desired of him.

16If any one see his brother sinning a sin not to death, he shall ask, and he will give to him life for him who sins not to death: there is a sin to death, I do not say that any one shall pray for that.

17Every unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not to death.

18We know that every one who has been born of God, sins not; but he who has been born of God, keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not.

19We know that we are of God; and the whole world lieth in the wicked one.

20And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given to us an understanding, that we may know him who is true; anti we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ: this is the true God and eternal life.

21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.