diff --git a/tn_1JN.tsv b/tn_1JN.tsv index 11641c8845..048c2ca7ab 100644 --- a/tn_1JN.tsv +++ b/tn_1JN.tsv @@ -1,12 +1,12 @@ Reference ID Tags SupportReference Quote Occurrence Note -front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introduction\n\n### Outline of the book of 1 John\n\nThis is a letter that the apostle John wrote to challenge and correct false teachings that were leading followers of Jesus to believe wrong things and live in wrong ways. At that time, the letter form had distinct opening and closing sections. The main body of the letter came in between.\n1. Opening of Letter (1:1–4)\n1. Main Body of Letter (1:5–5:12)\n * Genuine believers obey God and love one another (1:5–2:17)\n * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Messiah (2:18–2:27)\n * Genuine children of God do not sin (2:28–3:10)\n * Genuine believers help one another sacrificially (3:11–18)\n * Genuine believers have confidence in prayer (3:19–24)\n * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus became human (4:1–6)\n * Genuine believers love one another as God has loved them (4:7–21)\n * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Son of God (5:1–12)\n1. Closing of Letter (5:13–21)\n\n### Who wrote the book of 1 John?\n\nThe author of this letter does not give his name. However, since early Christian times, the church has widely considered the apostle John to be the author. He wrote the Gospel of John, and there are many similarities between the content of that book and this letter. If John did write this letter, he probably did so near the end of his life.\n\n### To whom was the book of 1 John written?\n\nThe author wrote this letter to people whom he addresses as “beloved” and, as “my little children.” This probably refers to believers in various churches located in the area where John was then living.\n\n### What is the book of 1 John about?\n\nFalse teachers were encouraging followers of Jesus to believe wrong things and to live in wrong ways. John wanted to challenge and correct those false teachings so that the people who received his letter would continue to believe the truth that they had been taught and live in right ways. The false teachers were saying that these people were not saved; John wanted to assure them that they were saved.\n\n### How should the title of this book be translated?\n\nTranslators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, “1 John” or “First John.” They may also choose a different title, such as “The First Letter from John” or “The First Letter John Wrote.” (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])\n\n## Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts\n\n### Who were the people whom John spoke against?\n\nThe false teachers whom John was challenging seem to have held beliefs similar to what would later become known as Gnosticism. Those false teachers believed that the physical world was evil. They thought that God would not become human, since they considered the physical body to be evil, so they denied that Jesus was God come to earth in human form. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil]])\n\n## Part 3: Important Translation Issues\n\n### “sin”\n\nIn chapter 1, John says that we should not deny that we have sinned. Rather, if we confess our sin, God will forgive us. In chapter 2, John says that he is writing this letter so that the recipients will not sin, but he adds that if they do sin, Jesus will advocate on their behalf. But in chapter 3, John says that everyone who has been begotten from God and who remains in God does not commit sin and is not able to sin. And in chapter 5, John says that we should not pray for people who are sinning in certain ways, although we should pray for people who are sinning in other ways. This may seem confusing and contradictory.\n\nHowever, the explanation is that the people whose teachings John challenged and corrected in this letter were saying that it did not matter what people did in their bodies. This was because they thought that physical matter was evil, and so they thought that God did not care about it. In effect, they were saying that there was no such thing as sin. So John needed to say, in chapter 1, that sin is real and that everyone has sinned. Some of the believers may have been deceived by the false teaching and committed sins, so John also needed to reassure them that if they repented and confessed their sins, God would forgive them. John says similar things in chapter 2. Then in chapter 3 he explains that the new nature that believers have as children of God is one that does not want to sin and that does not enjoy sinning. So they should recognize that those who excuse or condone sin are not truly children of God, and that as children of God themselves, they can become more and more obedient and free from sin. Finally, in chapter 5, John warns that if a person sins wantonly and continually, this likely means that they have rejected Jesus and are not influenced by the Holy Spirit. He says that in that case, it may not be effective to pray for them. But he then encourages his readers that if a person sins occasionally but feels remorse, he is influenced by the Spirit, and so the prayers of other believers will help him repent and live in a right way again. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/faith]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/forgive]])\n\n### “remain”\n\nIn this letter, John often uses the word “remain” (which could also be translated as “reside” or “abide”) as a spatial metaphor. John speaks of a believer becoming more faithful to Jesus and knowing Jesus better as if the teaching of Jesus “remained” in the believer. He speaks of a person being spiritually joined to someone else as if that person “remained” in the other person: He writes that Christians “remain” in Christ and in God, and he says that the Father “remains” in the Son, the Son “remains” in the Father, the Son “remains” in believers, and the Holy Spirit “remains” in believers.\n\nTranslators may find it difficult to represent these ideas in their own languages if they try to use exactly the same words and expressions each time. For example, in [2:6](../02/06.md), when John speaks of a believer “remaining” in God, he intends to express the idea of that believer being spiritually unified with God. Accordingly, UST speaks of how the believer “shares life with God.” To give another example, for the statement in [2:14](../02/14.md) that “the word of God remains in you,” UST says, “you continue to obey what God commands.” This shows how other expressions can be found that accurately communicate the various ideas that John is expressing through the term “remain.”\n\n### “appear”\n\nIn several places in this letter, John uses a term that ULT usually translates as “appear.” This is actually a passive verbal form in Greek, but as is often the case with such forms in that language, it can have an active meaning. When it has an active meaning, it is important to recognize that it does not simply mean “seemed to be there,” as the word “appeared” might suggest. Rather, it means “came to be there.” This is illustrated well by the use of the term in another New Testament book, 2 Corinthians, in which Paul writes in [5:10](../2co/05/10.md) that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Clearly this does not mean that we must only seem to be present there. Rather, we must actually arrive there.\n\nThroughout the epistle, it is a subtle matter of interpretation to decide whether John is using the term “appear” in an active sense or in a passive sense. For example, in [1:2](../01/02.md), John applies the term twice to the “Word of life,” that is, to Jesus. But it is not clear whether he is saying that Jesus himself “appeared,” that is, he came to earth, or that he “was made apparent” (made visible), with the emphasis on the idea that God revealed Jesus to the world and in the process revealed himself to the world through Jesus. At each place where John uses this term, notes will call attention to it and discuss what it likely means in that context.\n\n### “the world”\n\nJohn also uses the term “world” in a variety of senses in this letter. It can mean the earth, something material, the people who live in the world, the people who do not honor God, or the values of the people who do not honor God. Notes will address the meaning of the term “world” in each instance where John uses it.\n\n### “to know”\n\nThe verb “to know” is used in two different ways in this letter. Sometimes it is used about knowing a fact, as in 3:2, 3:5, and 3:19. Sometimes it means to experience and understand someone or something, as in 3:1, 3:6, 3:16, and 3:20. Sometimes John uses it in two different senses in the same sentence, as in 2:3, “in this we know that we have known him.” Your language may have different words for these different meanings. If so, you must be careful to use the appropriate word in the right place in your translation.\n\n### “We”\n\nIn most cases in this letter, the first-person plural pronouns (“we, our,” etc.) are inclusive, and so if your language marks that distinction, use the inclusive form in your translation. In those cases, John is speaking of what both he and the recipients know, or of things that are true of both him and the recipients. However, in a few cases, the first-person pronouns are exclusive, since John is telling the recipients what he and his fellow apostles saw and heard from Jesus. The notes will identify all such places, and in them you should use the exclusive forms, if your language marks that distinction. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]])\n\n### “You, your”\n\nThe words “you” and “your” in this letter are plural.\n\n### Light and darkness\n\nIn 1:5–7 and 2:8–11 John uses an extended metaphor in which light represents what is good or holy and darkness represents what is evil. If this is not easily understood in your language, you may need to say explicitly that light represents goodness or that light is like goodness, or you may choose to talk about goodness without using the symbol of light. There will be a note explaining the metaphor in each place. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor]])\n\n### Major textual issues in the text of the book of 1 John\n\nWhen ancient manuscripts of the Bible differ, ULT puts the reading that scholars consider to be the most accurate in its text, but it puts other possibly accurate readings in footnotes. The introductions to each chapter will discuss places where the ancient manuscripts differ in significant ways, and notes will address those places again where they occur in the book. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using the readings found in that version. If not, we recommend that you follow the readings in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) -1:intro ab9v 0 # 1 John 1 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n1. Opening of the letter (1:1–4)\n2. Genuine believers obey God and love one another (1:5–10, continues through 2:17)\n\n## Important translation issues in this chapter\n\nLike many Greek compositions of this time, for stylistic purposes this letter begins with a very long sentence. It goes from the beginning of [1:1](../01/01.md) to the middle of [1:3](../01/03.md). The parts of this sentence are not in the order that is customary in many languages. The direct object comes first, and it is very long, made up of many different clauses. The subject and verb do not come until near the end. And in the middle, there is a long digression. So it will be a challenge to translate.\n\nOne approach that might work well in your language would be to create a verse bridge that includes all of 1:1–3. You could break up this long sentence into several smaller sentences, repeating the subject and verb for clarity. This would allow you to present the parts of the sentence in an order that might be more customary in your language and that your readers might understand better. Here is an example of 1 John 1:1–3 rearranged into an order that might be clearer in your language:\n\n“So that you will have fellowship with us, we are declaring to you what we have seen and heard. We are declaring to you what was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched. It has to do with the Word of life. Indeed, the life appeared, and we have seen it, and we are testifying to it. Yes, we are announcing to you the eternal life that was with the Father and that then came to us.”\n\nIf you take this approach, another way to translate the second sentence would be, “We are declaring to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched.”\n\nAnother approach that could also work well, and which would not require a verse bridge, would be to leave the phrases in their present order, but to divide the sentence into three parts at the verse divisions. If you do that, you could also put your translation of the phrase “regarding the Word of life” at the beginning rather than the end of [1:1](../01/01.md) and present it as a topical introduction to the letter. Otherwise, your readers might not get the sense that this is a letter until they reached [1:4](../01/04.md), where John formally states his purpose for writing.\n\nThe notes to [1:1–4](../01/01.md) provide further specific suggestions for how to translate this long opening sentence. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-versebridge]])\n\n## Important textual issues in this chapter\n\nIn [1:4](../01/04.md), the most accurate ancient manuscripts read “so that our joy may be fulfilled.” ULT follows that reading. However, some other ancient manuscripts read “your joy” instead of “our joy.” If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) +front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introduction\n\n### Outline of the book of 1 John\n\nThis is a letter that the apostle John wrote to challenge and correct false teachings that were leading followers of Jesus to believe wrong things and live in wrong ways. At that time, the letter form had distinct opening and closing sections with the main body of the letter in between them.\n1. Opening of Letter (1:1–4)\n1. Main Body of Letter (1:5–5:12)\n * Genuine believers obey God and love one another (1:5–2:17)\n * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Messiah (2:18–2:27)\n * Genuine children of God do not sin (2:28–3:10)\n * Genuine believers help one another sacrificially (3:11–18)\n * Genuine believers have confidence in prayer (3:19–24)\n * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus became human (4:1–6)\n * Genuine believers love one another as God has loved them (4:7–21)\n * It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Son of God (5:1–12)\n1. Closing of Letter (5:13–21)\n\n### Who wrote the book of 1 John?\n\nThe author of this letter does not give his name. However, since early Christian times, the church has widely considered the apostle John to be the author. He wrote the Gospel of John, and there are many similarities between the content of that book and this letter. If John did write this letter, he probably did so near the end of his life.\n\n### To whom was the book of 1 John written?\n\nThe author wrote this letter to people whom he addresses as “beloved” and as “my little children.” This probably refers to believers in various churches located in the area where John was then living.\n\n### What is the book of 1 John about?\n\nFalse teachers were encouraging followers of Jesus to believe wrong things and to live in wrong ways. John wanted to challenge and correct those false teachings so that the people who received his letter would continue to believe the truth that they had been taught and live in right ways. The false teachers were saying that these people were not saved; John wanted to assure them that they were saved.\n\n### How should the title of this book be translated?\n\nTranslators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, “1 John” or “First John.” They may also choose a different title, such as “The First Letter from John” or “The First Letter John Wrote.” (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])\n\n## Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts\n\n### Who were the people against whom John spoke?\n\nThe false teachers whom John was challenging seem to have held beliefs similar to what would later become known as Gnosticism. Those false teachers believed that the physical world was evil. They thought that God would not become human, since they considered the physical body to be evil, so they denied that in the person of Jesus, God had come to earth in human form. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil]])\n\n## Part 3: Important Translation Issues\n\n### “sin”\n\nIn chapter 1, John says that we should not deny that we have sinned. Rather, if we confess our sin, God will forgive us. In chapter 2, John says that he is writing this letter so that the recipients will not sin, but he adds that if they do sin, Jesus will advocate on their behalf. But in chapter 3, John says that everyone who has been begotten from God and who remains in God does not commit sin and is not able to sin. And in chapter 5, John says that we should not pray for people who are sinning in certain ways, although we should pray for people who are sinning in other ways. This may seem confusing and contradictory.\n\nHowever, the explanation is that the people whose teachings John challenged and corrected in this letter were saying that it did not matter what people did in their bodies. This was because they thought that physical matter was evil, and so they thought that God did not care about it. In effect, they were saying that there was no such thing as sin. So John needed to say, in chapter 1, that sin is real and that everyone has sinned. Some of the believers may have been deceived by the false teaching and committed sins, so John also needed to reassure them that if they repented and confessed their sins, God would forgive them. John says similar things in chapter 2. Then in chapter 3 he explains that the new nature that believers have as children of God is one that does not want to sin and that does not enjoy sinning. So they should recognize that those who excuse or condone sin are not truly children of God, and that as children of God themselves, they can become more and more obedient and free from sin. Finally, in chapter 5, John warns that if a person sins wantonly and continually, this likely means that they have rejected Jesus and are not influenced by the Holy Spirit. He says that, in that case, it may not be effective to pray for them. But he then encourages his readers that if a person sins occasionally but feels remorse, he is influenced by the Spirit, and so the prayers of other believers will help him repent and live in a right way again. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/faith]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/forgive]])\n\n### “remain”\n\nIn this letter, John often uses the word “remain” (which could also be translated as “reside” or “abide”) as a spatial metaphor. John speaks of a believer becoming more faithful to Jesus and knowing Jesus better as if the teaching of Jesus “remained” in the believer. He speaks of a person being spiritually joined to someone else as if that person “remained” in the other person: He writes that Christians “remain” in Christ and in God, and he says that the Father “remains” in the Son, the Son “remains” in the Father, the Son “remains” in believers, and the Holy Spirit “remains” in believers.\n\nTranslators may find it difficult to represent these ideas in their own languages if they try to use exactly the same words and expressions each time. For example, in [2:6](../02/06.md), when John speaks of a believer “remaining” in God, he intends to express the idea of that believer being spiritually unified with God. Accordingly, UST speaks of how the believer “shares life with God.” To give another example, for the statement in [2:14](../02/14.md) that “the word of God remains in you,” UST says, “you continue to obey what God commands.” This shows how other expressions can be found that accurately communicate the various ideas that John is expressing through the term “remain.”\n\n### “appear”\n\nIn several places in this letter, John uses a term that ULT usually translates as “appear.” This is actually a passive verbal form in Greek, but as is often the case with such forms in that language, it can have an active meaning. When it has an active meaning, it is important to recognize that it does not simply mean “seemed to be there,” as the word “appeared” might suggest. Rather, it means “came to be there.” This is illustrated well by the use of the term in another New Testament book, 2 Corinthians, in which Paul writes in [5:10](../2co/05/10.md) that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Clearly this does not mean that we must only seem to be present there. Rather, we must actually arrive there.\n\nThroughout the epistle, it is a subtle matter of interpretation to decide whether John is using the term “appear” in an active sense or in a passive sense. For example, in [1:2](../01/02.md), John applies the term twice to the “Word of life,” that is, to Jesus. But it is not clear whether he is saying that Jesus himself “appeared,” that is, he came to earth, or that he “was made apparent” (made visible), with the emphasis on the idea that God revealed Jesus to the world and in the process revealed himself to the world through Jesus. At each place where John uses this term, notes will call attention to it and discuss what it likely means in that context.\n\n### “the world”\n\nJohn also uses the term “world” in a variety of senses in this letter. It can mean the earth, something material, the people who live in the world, the people who do not honor God, or the values of the people who do not honor God. Notes will address the meaning of the term “world” in each instance where John uses it.\n\n### “to know”\n\nThe verb “to know” is used in two different ways in this letter. Sometimes it is used about knowing a fact, as in 3:2, 3:5, and 3:19. Sometimes it means to experience and understand someone or something, as in 3:1, 3:6, 3:16, and 3:20. Sometimes John uses it in two different senses in the same sentence, as in 2:3, “in this we know that we have known him.” Your language may have different words for these different meanings. If so, you must be careful to use the appropriate word in the right place in your translation.\n\n### “We”\n\nIn most cases in this letter, the first-person plural pronouns (“we, our,” etc.) are inclusive, and so if your language marks that distinction, use the inclusive form in your translation. In those cases, John is speaking of what both he and the recipients know, or of things that are true of both him and the recipients. However, in a few cases, the first-person pronouns are exclusive, since John is telling the recipients what he and his fellow apostles saw and heard from Jesus. The notes will identify all such places, and in them you should use the exclusive forms if your language marks that distinction. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]])\n\n### “You, your”\n\nThe words “you” and “your” in this letter are plural.\n\n### Light and darkness\n\nIn 1:5–7 and 2:8–11 John uses an extended metaphor in which light represents what is good or holy and darkness represents what is evil. If this is not easily understood in your language, you may need to say explicitly that light represents goodness or that light is like goodness, or you may choose to talk about goodness without using the symbol of light. There will be a note explaining the metaphor in each place. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exmetaphor]])\n\n### Major textual issues in the book of 1 John\n\nWhen ancient manuscripts of the Bible differ, ULT puts the reading that scholars consider to be the most accurate in its text, but it puts other possibly accurate readings in footnotes. The introductions to each chapter will discuss places where the ancient manuscripts differ in significant ways, and notes will address those places again where they occur in the book. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using the readings found in that version. If not, we recommend that you follow the readings in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) +1:intro ab9v 0 # 1 John 1 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n1. Opening of the letter (1:1–4)\n2. Genuine believers obey God and love one another (1:5–10, continues through 2:17)\n\n## Important Translation Issues in this Chapter\n\nLike many Greek compositions of this time, for stylistic purposes, this letter begins with a very long sentence. It goes from the beginning of [1:1](../01/01.md) to the middle of [1:3](../01/03.md). The parts of this sentence are not in the order that is customary in many languages. The direct object comes first, and it is very long, made up of many different clauses. The subject and verb do not come until near the end. And in the middle, there is a long digression. It will be a challenge to translate.\n\nOne approach that might work well in your language would be to create a verse bridge that includes all of 1:1–3. You could break up this long sentence into several smaller sentences, repeating the subject and verb for clarity. This would allow you to present the parts of the sentence in an order that might be more customary in your language and that your readers might understand better. Here is an example of 1 John 1:1–3 rearranged into an order that might be clearer in your language:\n\n“So that you will have fellowship with us, we are declaring to you what we have seen and heard. We are declaring to you what was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched. It has to do with the Word of life. Indeed, the life appeared, and we have seen it, and we are testifying to it. Yes, we are announcing to you the eternal life that was with the Father and that then came to us.”\n\nIf you take this approach, another way to translate the second sentence would be, “We are declaring to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and what our hands have touched.”\n\nAnother approach that could also work well and which would not require a verse bridge would be to leave the phrases in their present order, but to divide the sentence into three parts at the verse divisions. If you do that, you could also put your translation of the phrase “regarding the Word of life” at the beginning rather than the end of [1:1](../01/01.md) and present it as a topical introduction to the letter. Otherwise, your readers might not get the sense that this is a letter until they reached [1:4](../01/04.md), where John formally states his purpose for writing.\n\nThe notes to [1:1–4](../01/01.md) provide further specific suggestions for how to translate this long opening sentence. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-versebridge]])\n\n## Important Textual Issues in this Chapter\n\nIn [1:4](../01/04.md), the most accurate ancient manuscripts read “so that our joy may be fulfilled.” ULT follows that reading. However, some other ancient manuscripts read, “your joy” instead of “our joy.” If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) 1:1 honh rc://*/ta/man/checking/headings 0 If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 1. Suggested heading: “The Word of Life” 1:1 j363 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ὃ ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ὃ ἀκηκόαμεν, ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν, περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς— 1 See the discussion in the General Notes to this chapter for how to translate the long sentence in [1:1–3](../01/01.md). If you follow the suggestion to translate the phrase **regarding the Word of life** as a topical introduction to this letter, you will already have indicated that the four clauses in this verse refer to a person, Jesus. If you have pronouns in your language that refer to people, such as “he,” “who,” and “whom,” it would be appropriate to use them here. Alternate translation: “Regarding the Word of life—he is the one who has existed from all eternity, whom we heard speak, whom we saw with our own eyes, and whom we looked at and touched with our own hands” -1:1 j364 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς 1 John uses the phrase **from the beginning** in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the fact that Jesus has always existed. Alternate translation: “from all eternity” -1:1 jd7p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἀκηκόαμεν & ἑωράκαμεν & ἡμῶν & ἐθεασάμεθα & ἡμῶν 1 Here the pronouns **we** and **our** are exclusive, since John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus, but the people to whom he is writing did not see Jesus. So use exclusive forms here, if your language marks that distinction. +1:1 j364 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς 1 John uses the phrase **from the beginning** in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the fact that Jesus has always existed. Alternate translation: “from all eternity” +1:1 jd7p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἀκηκόαμεν & ἑωράκαμεν & ἡμῶν & ἐθεασάμεθα & ἡμῶν 1 Here the pronouns **we** and **our** are exclusive, since John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus, but the people to whom he is writing did not see Jesus. So use exclusive forms here if your language marks that distinction. 1:1 ej5x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἀκηκόαμεν 1 The implication is that what John and the other eyewitnesses **heard** was Jesus speaking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include this information, as in the UST. Alternate translation: “we heard speak” -1:1 rb73 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα 1 These two phrases mean the same thing. John is likely using the repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and show the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “whom we saw clearly ourselves” +1:1 rb73 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα 1 These two phrases mean the same thing. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and show the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “whom we saw clearly ourselves” 1:1 j001 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicitinfo ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν & καὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν 1 In your language, it might seem that these phrases express unnecessary extra information. If so, you could abbreviate them. However, your language may have its own way of using such extra information for emphasis, and you could also do that in your translation. Alternate translation: “we saw … and touched” or “we saw with our own eyes … and touched with our own hands” 1:1 j002 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν & αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν 1 The false teachers were denying that Jesus was a real human being and saying that he was only a spirit. But the implications of what John is saying here are that Jesus was a real human being. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly, as in the UST. 1:1 j003 περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς 1 As the General Notes to this chapter suggest, you could put your translation of this phrase, **regarding the Word of life**, at the beginning of this verse and present it as a sentence of its own as a topical introduction to the letter, as UST does. Alternate translation: “We are writing to you about Jesus, the Word of life” @@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 1:3 j009 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result ὃ ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν καὶ ὑμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ’ ἡμῶν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could rearrange the parts of this section. You could move the clause beginning with **so you also** to the beginning of the verse, since that clause gives the reason for the action that the rest of the verse describes. For clarity, you could also place the direct-object clause **what we have seen and heard** after the subject and verb **we declare … to you**. In that case, you would not need to translate **also** after **declare**. As the General Notes to this chapter suggest, it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “So that you also may have fellowship with us, we are declaring to you what we have seen and heard” 1:3 vw2w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὃ ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν 1 John is referring implicitly to the way that he and the other eyewitnesses had **seen and heard** Jesus when he was alive on earth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include this information, as in the UST. Alternate translation: “what we saw and heard of Jesus when he was alive on earth” 1:3 j010 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν & ἡμῶν 1 John is speaking on behalf of himself and the other eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Jesus, so the pronouns **we** and **us** are exclusive. -1:3 dw7l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ’ ἡμῶν & ἡ κοινωνία & ἡ ἡμετέρα μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **fellowship** with a concrete noun such as “friends” and an adjective such as “close.” Alternate translation: “so that you could be close friends with us … we are all close friends with God the Father and with his Son Jesus” -1:3 tf4m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡ κοινωνία & ἡ ἡμετέρα 1 The word **our** here is likely inclusive, since John is writing to fellow believers. So if your language marks that distinction, you should translate the term as inclusive. Even if your language does not mark that distinction, you can indicate in your translation that the term applies both to John and to the people he is writing to. Alternate translation: “we are all close friends” +1:3 dw7l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ’ ἡμῶν & ἡ κοινωνία & ἡ ἡμετέρα μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **fellowship** with a concrete noun such as “friends” and an adjective such as “close.” Alternate translation: “so that you could be close friends with us … we are all close friends with God the Father and with his Son” +1:3 tf4m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡ κοινωνία & ἡ ἡμετέρα 1 The word **our** here is likely inclusive, since John is writing to fellow believers. So if your language marks that distinction, you should translate the term as inclusive. Even if your language does not mark that distinction, you can indicate in your translation that the term applies both to John and to the people to whom he is writing. Alternate translation: “we are all close friends” 1:3 rxq7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples τοῦ Πατρὸς & τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ 1 **Father** and **Son** are important titles. Alternate translation: “God the Father … his Son” 1:4 j011 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ταῦτα γράφομεν ἡμεῖς 1 As the General Notes to this chapter explain, here John is formally stating his purpose for writing. If you decided in [1:1](../01/01.md) that it would be more natural in your language for him to refer to himself with a singular pronoun in such a context, you could do the same thing here. Alternate translation: “I, John, am writing these things” -1:4 j012 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡμεῖς & ἡμῶν 1 If you use the plural pronoun **we** here, it would be exclusive, since John is speaking of himself and the other eyewitnesses on whose behalf he is writing. However, the term **our** in the second clause is likely inclusive, since John probably means that he wants both himself and his readers to have **joy** in the shared fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son that he describes in the previous verse. +1:4 j012 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡμεῖς & ἡμῶν 1 If you use the plural pronoun **we** here, it would be exclusive, since John is speaking of himself and the other eyewitnesses on whose behalf he is writing. However, the term **our** in the second clause is likely inclusive, since John probably means that he wants both himself and his readers to have **joy** in the shared fellowship with one another and with the Father and the Son whom he describes in the previous verse. 1:4 j013 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν 1 See the discussion of textual issues at the end of the General Notes to this chapter to decide whether to follow the reading of ULT and say **our joy** or to follow the reading of some other versions and say “your joy.” 1:4 j014 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-you ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν 1 If you follow the variant reading “your joy” here instead of **our joy**, the word “your” would be plural, as in the rest of this letter, since it would refer to a group of believers. 1:4 xn9d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **joy** with an adjective such as “happy.” Alternate translation: “so that we will be completely happy” @@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 1:5 j018 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ὁ Θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν, καὶ σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία 1 These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “God is entirely light” or, if you represent these metaphors plainly (See: next two notes), “God is completely holy” 1:5 cd6f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὁ Θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν 1 John often uses **light** in this letter to mean what is holy, right, and good. Here, in reference to God, it indicates holiness. Alternate translation: “God is holy” 1:5 e9m2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία 1 John often uses the word **darkness** in this letter to mean what is evil. Alternate translation: “God is not evil at all” -1:5 j019 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία 1 John is using a double negative in Greek for emphasis. In English it would come out as, “darkness is not in him not at all.” In Greek the second negative does not cancel the first negative to create a positive meaning. In English the meaning would inaccurately be positive, which is why ULT uses only one negative and says “darkness is not in him at all.” But if your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction in your translation. +1:5 j019 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία 1 John is using a double negative in Greek for emphasis. In English it would translate as “darkness is not in him not at all.” In Greek, the second negative does not cancel the first negative to create a positive meaning. In English, the meaning would inaccurately be positive, which is why ULT uses only one negative and says “darkness is not in him at all.” But if your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction in your translation. 1:5 j020 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ἐν αὐτῷ 1 In this second instance in the verse, the pronoun **him** refers to God. Alternate translation: “in God” 1:6 j021 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν, ψευδόμεθα καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν 1 John is using a hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the importance of consistency between their words and their actions. Alternate translation: “Suppose we say that we have fellowship with him, but we walk in darkness. Then we are lying and are not doing the truth” 1:6 j022 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ αὐτοῦ 1 If your language does not use abstract nouns, see how you expressed the idea behind the abstract noun **fellowship** in [1:3](../01/03.md). Alternate translation: “If we say that we are close friends with God” @@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 1:6 j024 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast καὶ 1 John is using the word **and** here to introduce a contrast between what would be expected of a person who claims to have fellowship with God and what such a person might do instead. Alternate translation: “but” 1:6 f958 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν 1 John is using the word **walk** to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “do what is evil” 1:6 j025 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν 1 As in [1:5](../01/05.md), John is using the word **darkness** to mean evil. Alternate translation: “do what is evil” -1:6 j026 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ψευδόμεθα καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν 1 These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “we are really not truthful at all” +1:6 j026 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ψευδόμεθα καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν 1 These two phrases mean similar things. It is likely that John is using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “we are really not truthful at all” 1:6 j027 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **truth** with the concrete noun “message” from the previous verse, since that seems to be what John means by **the truth** in this case. Alternate translation: “we are not living according to God’s true message” 1:7 j028 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν, ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί, κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ ἀλλήλων 1 John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the value and benefits of living a life that is holy, as God is holy. Alternate translation: “But suppose we walk in the light as he is in the light. Then we have fellowship with one another” 1:7 lpr3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν 1 John is using the word **walk** to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “we do what is right” @@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 1:7 j030 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί 1 Here the pronoun **he** refers to God. Alternate translation: “as God is in the light” 1:7 j031 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί 1 John is using the word **light** to mean what is holy. Alternate translation: “as God is holy” 1:7 j032 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ’ ἀλλήλων 1 If your language does not use abstract nouns, see how you expressed the idea behind the abstract noun **fellowship** in [1:3](../01/03.md). Alternate translation: “then we are close friends with one another” -1:7 d7d8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ 1 John is using the word **blood** here to refer to the sacrificial death of Jesus, by association with the **blood** that Jesus shed when he died for our sins. Alternate translation: “the sacrificial death of Jesus” +1:7 d7d8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ 1 John is using the word **blood** here to refer to the sacrificial death of Jesus by association with the **blood** that Jesus shed when he died for our sins. Alternate translation: “the sacrificial death of Jesus” 1:7 j033 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, καθαρίζει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας 1 John is speaking of **sin** as if it made a person dirty and of the **blood** of Jesus as if it made a person clean. Alternate translation: “takes away all of our sin” 1:7 jb3e rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ 1 **Son** is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God. 1:8 j034 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν 1 John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the importance of consistency between their words and their actions. Alternate translation: “Suppose we say that we have no sin. Then we are leading ourselves astray, and the truth is not in us” @@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 1:9 agve rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν 1 Part of confessing sin to God is rejecting them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “If we confess our sins to God and turn away from them” 1:9 gb5l rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns πιστός ἐστιν & ἵνα ἀφῇ 1 The pronoun **he** refers to God in both instances in this verse. Alternate translation: “God is faithful … and God will forgive” 1:9 f68c rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας 1 These two phrases mean basically the same thing. John is likely using them together for emphasis. If including both phrases would be confusing for your readers, you could combine them and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “and he will completely forgive us of what we have done wrong” -1:9 j038 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας 1 As in [1:7](../01/07.md), John is speaking of **sins** as if they made a person dirty and of God’s forgiveness as if it made a person clean. Alternate translation: “not hold against us anything that we have done wrong” +1:9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας 1 As in [1:7](../01/07.md), John is speaking of **sins** as if they made a person dirty and of God’s forgiveness as if it made a person clean. Alternate translation: “he should not hold against us anything that we have done wrong” 1:9 j039 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns πάσης ἀδικίας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **unrighteousness** with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “anything that we have done wrong” 1:10 j040 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι οὐχ ἡμαρτήκαμεν, ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτὸν 1 John is using another hypothetical situation to help his readers recognize the serious implications of not living in holiness. Alternate translation: “Suppose we say that we have not sinned. Then we are calling God a liar” 1:10 j041 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns αὐτὸν & αὐτοῦ 1 The pronouns **him** and **his** refer to God in this verse. Alternate translation: “God … God’s” 1:10 hii2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτὸν 1 Be sure that it is clear in your translation that God would not actually be a **liar** in this case. Rather, a person who claimed to be without sin would be calling God a liar, since God has said that everyone is a sinner. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “that is the same as calling God a liar, because God has said that we have all sinned” 1:10 j042 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν 1 John is using the term **word** to mean what God has said by using words. Alternate translation: “we do not believe what God has said” 1:10 m3p1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν 1 As he did about the “truth” in [1:8](../01/08.md), John is speaking of God’s **word** as if it were an object that could be inside believers. Alternate translation: “we do not believe what God has said” -2:intro zjj9 0 # 1 John 2 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n1. Genuine believers obey God and love one another (2:1–17, continuing from 1:5)\n2. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Messiah (2:18–2:27)\n3. Genuine children of God do not sin (2:28–29, continues through 3:10)\n\nIn order to show that John is writing something like poetry in [2:12–14](../02/12.md), some translations set the statements in those verses farther to the right than the rest of the text, and they begin a new line at the start of each statement.\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Antichrist\n\nIn [2:18](../02/18.md) and [2:22](../02/22.md), John writes both about a specific person called the Antichrist and about many people who will be “antichrists.” The word “antichrist” means “opposed to Christ.” The Antichrist is a person who will come just before the return of Jesus and imitate Jesus’ work, but he will do that for evil purposes. Before that person comes, there will be many other people who work against Christ. They too are called “antichrists,” but as a description rather than as a name. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/antichrist]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/lastday]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil]])\n\n## Important textual issues in this chapter\n\nIn [2:20](../02/20.md), some ancient manuscripts read “you all know,” and that is the reading that ULT follows. However, other ancient manuscripts read “you know all things.” It seems more likely, based on everything else in the letter, that “you all know” is the correct original reading, since John is countering the claim of false teachers to know more than other believers. The reading “you know all things” seems to have arisen because copyists felt a need to have an object for the verb “know.” Nevertheless, if a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) +2:intro zjj9 0 # 1 John 2 General Notes\n\n## Structure and Formatting\n\n1. Genuine believers obey God and love one another (2:1–17, continuing from 1:5)\n2. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Messiah (2:18–2:27)\n3. Genuine children of God do not sin (2:28–29, continues through 3:10)\n\nIn order to show that John is writing something like poetry in [2:12–14](../02/12.md), some translations set the statements in those verses farther to the right than the rest of the text, and they begin a new line at the start of each statement.\n\n## Special Concepts in this Chapter\n\n### Antichrist\n\nIn [2:18](../02/18.md) and [2:22](../02/22.md), John writes both about a specific person called the Antichrist and about many people who will be “antichrists.” The word “antichrist” means “opposed to Christ.” The Antichrist is a person who will come just before the return of Jesus and imitate Jesus’ work, but he will do that for evil purposes. Before that person comes, there will be many other people who work against Christ. They too are called “antichrists,” but as a description rather than as a name. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/antichrist]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/lastday]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil]])\n\n## Important Textual Issues in this Chapter\n\nIn [2:20](../02/20.md), some ancient manuscripts read “you all know,” and that is the reading that ULT follows. However, other ancient manuscripts read “you know all things.” It seems more likely, based on everything else in the letter, that “you all know” is the correct original reading, since John is countering the claim of false teachers to know more than other believers. The reading “you know all things” seems to have arisen because copyists felt a need to have an object for the verb “know.” Nevertheless, if a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) 2:1 j043 τεκνία μου 1 Here and in several other places in the book, John uses the diminutive form of the word **children** as an affectionate form of address. Alternate translation: “My dear children” 2:1 v57g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τεκνία μου 1 John is using the word **children** to describe the believers to whom he is writing. They are under his spiritual care, and so he regards them in that sense as if they were his own children. You could translate this plainly, or you could represent the metaphor as a simile, as UST does. Alternate translation: “You dear believers who are under my care” 2:1 p49e ταῦτα γράφω 1 Here, **these things** refers generally to everything that John has written about in the letter so far. Alternate translation: “I am writing this letter” @@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:5 j059 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns αὐτοῦ & αὐτῷ 1 The pronouns **his** and **him** in this verse refer to God. Alternate translation: “God’s … God” 2:5 x88p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται 1 The phrase **the love of God** could mean one of two things. (1) It could refer to a person loving God. Alternate translation: “that person indeed loves God completely” (2) It could refer to God loving people. Alternate translation: “God’s love has completely achieved its purpose in that person’s life” 2:5 j060 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could restate the passive verbal form **has been perfected** with an active verbal form in its place. The person or thing doing the action will depend on how you decide to translate the phrase **the love of God**. Alternate translation: “that person indeed loves God completely” or “God’s love has completely achieved its purpose in that person’s life” -2:5 jdzb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν 1 The word **this** could be referring to (1) what John is about to say in verse 6, or (2) what John has just said in verse 5, or (3) both. If your language allows it, you could choose option (3), since both verses are talking about completely obeying God, but most languages will need to choose one or the other. +2:5 jdzb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν 1 The word **this** could be referring to (1) what John is about to say in verse 6, or (2) what John has just said in verse 5, or (3) both. If your language allows it, you could choose option (3) since both verses are talking about completely obeying God, but most languages will need to choose one or the other. 2:5 b688 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν 1 John is speaking as if believers could be inside of God. This expression describes having a close relationship with God. Alternate translation: “we are living in fellowship with God” 2:6 u6lu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to this book. Here to **remain in** God means very much the same thing as to have “fellowship with God” in [1:3](../01/03.md) and [1:6](../01/06.md) and to “be in” God in [2:5](../02/05.md). John is repeating the same idea in different ways. Alternate translation: “he has close fellowship with God” or “he shares life with God” 2:6 j061 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν 1 John once again speaks as if believers could be inside of God. Alternate translation: “he is close friends with God” or “he shares life with God” @@ -121,14 +121,14 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:6 lvw4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὀφείλει καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησεν, καὶ αὐτὸς περιπατεῖν 1 John is using the phrase **just as that one walked** specifically to refer to the way that Jesus behaved when he lived on earth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “must walk in the same way as Jesus walked when he was living on earth” 2:6 j063 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ἐκεῖνος 1 John is using the demonstrative pronoun **that one** to refer to Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus” 2:7 py9g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj ἀγαπητοί 1 **Beloved** is another term of affection by which John addresses the believers to whom he is writing. It involves using the adjective “beloved” as a noun in order to indicate a specific group of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” or “My dear friends” -2:7 vz9w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς 1 John uses the phrase **from the beginning** in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the time when the people to whom he is writing first believed in Jesus. Alternate translation: “ever since you first believed in Jesus” +2:7 vz9w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἀπ' ἀρχῆς. 1 John uses the phrase **from the beginning** in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to the time when the people to whom he is writing first believed in Jesus. Alternate translation: “ever since you first believed in Jesus” 2:7 eia9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε 1 John is using **word** to refer to the message that these believers heard, which was communicated through words. Alternate translation: “the message that you heard” 2:7 amu6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε 1 The implication is that the specific **word** or message that John is describing is the commandment Jesus gave to believers that they should love one another. See the Gospel of John [13:34](../jhn/13/34.md) and [15:12](../jhn/15/12.md). John indicates this explicitly in this letter in [3:23](../03/23.md) and [4:21](../04/21.md). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly at this point as well. Alternate translation: “the commandment Jesus gave that we should love one another” 2:8 j064 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom πάλιν 1 John is using the term **Again** in the sense of “Looking at this again from another perspective.” Alternate translation: “On the other hand” 2:8 i1up rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν 1 John is referring to the same **commandment** as in [2:7](../02/07.md), the commandment that Jesus gave to love one another, which the believers have had all along. So he does not mean that he is now writing a **new** and different commandment, but rather that this same commandment, which he called “old” there, can also be considered **new** in a certain sense. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what **commandment** John is referring to, and you could give the likely reason why it can be considered **new** as well as “old.” Alternate translation: “the commandment that I am writing to you, to love one another, is also, in a sense, a new commandment, because it is characteristic of a new way of life” 2:8 j065 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these clauses, since the second clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. It may also be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Because the darkness is going away and the true light is already shining, this commandment is true in Jesus and in you” 2:8 j066 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν 1 Since Jesus consistently obeyed the commandment to love, it is likely that John is emphasizing that believers are doing the same thing themselves. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could bring out this implicit emphasis in your translation. It may also be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Jesus truly obeyed this commandment, and you are now truly obeying it as well” -2:8 c2fa rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν 1 John is speaking as if this commandment were **true** inside of Jesus and these believers. Alternate translation: “Jesus truly obeyed this commandment, and you are now truly obeying it as well” +2:8 c2fa rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν 1 John is speaking as if this commandment were **true** inside of Jesus and these believers. Alternate translation, as a new sentence: “Jesus truly obeyed this commandment, and you are now truly obeying it as well” 2:8 j067 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns αὐτῷ 1 The pronoun **him** refers to Jesus. John is using him as the supreme example of loving others. Alternate translation: “Jesus” 2:8 i8gr rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἡ σκοτία παράγεται, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει 1 As in [1:5](../01/05.md), John is using the word **darkness** to represent evil and the word **light** to represent what is holy, right, and good. The **shining** of the light represents its influence on people. Alternate translation: “what is evil is going away and people are able to see what is genuinely good more and more” 2:8 j068 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν 1 Since John calls God “the True One” in [5:20](../05/20.md), he may be referring to God’s goodness and holiness when he says **the true light**. Alternate translation: “the goodness of God” or “the holiness of God” @@ -144,10 +144,10 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:10 j074 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-genericnoun τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this term by translating this in the plural, since John is speaking of loving all believers. Alternate translation: “each of his brothers” 2:10 j075 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει 1 John is using the word **light** to mean what is holy, right, and good. Alternate translation: “is genuinely doing what is right” 2:10 j076 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word seems to describe behavior that is recognized to be genuine because it is consistent. Alternate translation: “is genuinely doing what is right” -2:10 q2x1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν 1 John is using the term **stumbling-block**, which means something that a person would trip over, to mean something that would cause a person to sin. Alternate translation: “he has no reason to sin” or “nothing will cause him to sin” -2:10 j077 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν 1 John speaks of this **stumbling-block** being **in** or inside a person because it represents the hatred for a fellow believer that he describes in [2:9](../02/09.md). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly. Alternate translation: “he has no hatred inside of him that will cause him to sin” +2:10 q2x1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν 1 John is using the term **stumbling block**, which means something that a person would trip over, to mean something that would cause a person to sin. Alternate translation: “he has no reason to sin” or “nothing will cause him to sin” +2:10 j077 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν 1 John speaks of this **stumbling block** being **in** or inside a person because it represents the hatred for a fellow believer that he describes in [2:9](../02/09.md). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly. Alternate translation: “he has no hatred inside of him that will cause him to sin” 2:11 j078 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ 1 See how you translated **his brother** in [2:9](../02/09.md). Alternate translation: “a fellow believer” -2:11 j079 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ 1 These two phrases mean similar things. John is likely using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in a different way. Alternate translation: “is living in complete darkness” +2:11 j079 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ 1 These two phrases mean similar things. It is likely that John is using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and express the emphasis in a different way. Alternate translation: “is living in complete darkness” 2:11 w4r2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ 1 As in [1:5](../01/05.md), John is using the word **darkness** to mean what is wrong or evil. Alternate translation: “is living in a way that is wrong” or “does what is evil” 2:11 u44x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ 1 John is using the word **walks** to mean how a person lives and behaves. Alternate translation: “conducts his life in wrong ways” 2:11 j080 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “because the darkness has blinded his eyes, he does not know where he is going” @@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:12 ed41 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἀφέωνται ὑμῖν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι 1 If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form, and you can state who has done the action. Alternate translation: “God has forgiven your sins” 2:12 j082 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ 1 The pronoun **his** refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “because of the name of Jesus” 2:12 yjy8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ 1 John is using the **name** of Jesus to represent who Jesus is and what he has done. Alternate translation: “on account of Jesus” -2:13 kue2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor πατέρες 1 The term **fathers** here is likely a figurative description of one part of the believers. In that case, it could mean either: (1) “mature believers” or (2) “church leaders” +2:13 kue2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor πατέρες 1 The term **fathers** here is likely a figurative description of one part of the believers. In that case, it could mean either: (1) mature believers or (2) church leaders 2:13 y1vm ἐγνώκατε 1 As in [2:4](../02/04.md), John is using the word **know** in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “you know very well” 2:13 wmt8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom τὸν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς 1 John uses the phrase **from the beginning** in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to Jesus or possibly to God the Father. John refers to Jesus with these same words at the beginning of this letter and in a similar way in John 1:1–2. Alternate translation: “him who has always existed” or “Jesus, who has always existed” 2:13 wg4v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor νεανίσκοι 1 Here, **young men** is likely a figurative description of a part of the group of believers. It probably refers to people who have become strong in their faith, even if they are not yet as mature as those in the group of **fathers**, since **young men** are in the time of life when they are strong and vigorous. Alternate translation: “strong believers” @@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:14 l74j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἰσχυροί ἐστε 1 John is using the word **strong** not literally to describe believers’ physical strength, but to describe their faithfulness to Jesus. Alternate translation: “you are faithful to Jesus” 2:14 u3n8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν μένει 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word seems to describe behavior that is recognized to be genuine because it is consistent. Alternate translation: “you genuinely obey what God has commanded” 2:14 j097 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 John is using the term **word** to refer to what God has commanded using words. Alternate translation: “what God has commanded” -2:14 j098 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν 1 John speaks of these strong believers refusing to do what the devil wants them to do as if they had defeated him in a struggle. Alternate translation: “you refuse to do what the devil wants you to do” +2:14 j098 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν 1 John speaks of these strong believers refusing to do what the devil wants them to do as if they had defeated him in a struggle. Alternate translation: “you have refused to do what the devil wants you to do” 2:14 j099 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj τὸν πονηρόν 1 John is using the adjective **evil** as a noun in order to indicate a specific being. ULT adds **one** to show this. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “the one who is evil” 2:14 j100 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸν πονηρόν 1 John is speaking of the devil by association with his characteristic of being **evil**. Alternate translation: “the devil” or “Satan” 2:15 j101 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ 1 In the second phrase in this sentence, John leaves out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the first phrase. Alternate translation: “Do not love the world, and do not love any of the things that are in the world” @@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:15 p56b rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ 1 John is describing a hypothetical situation in order to challenge his readers. Alternate translation: “Suppose someone loves the world. Then the love of the Father is not in him” 2:15 s48z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ 1 The phrase **the love of the Father** could mean: (1) the love that a person has for God the Father. Alternate translation: “that person does not really love God the Father” or (2) the love that God has for people. Alternate translation: “God the Father’s love is not genuinely at work in that person” 2:15 j102 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples τοῦ Πατρὸς 1 **Father** is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “of God the Father” -2:16 j103 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-versebridge ὅτι 1 In this verse, John is giving the reason why the previous sentence is true. If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this reason before that statement of result by combining this verse and the previous one into a verse bridge. In order to create a verse bridge, you could begin this verse with “since” instead of **For**; you could end it with a comma instead of a period; and you could make it the beginning of the second sentence in the previous verse, putting it before “if anyone loves the world.” +2:16 j103 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-versebridge ὅτι 1 In this verse, John is giving the reason why the previous sentence is true. If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this reason before that statement of result by combining this verse and the previous one into a verse bridge. In order to create a verse bridge, you could begin this verse with “Since” instead of **For**; you could end it with a comma instead of a period; and you could make it the beginning of the second sentence in the previous verse, putting it before “if anyone loves the world.” 2:16 j104 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ 1 See how you translated the similar expression in [2:15](../02/15.md). Alternate translation: “everything that characterizes the ungodly value system of the people who do not honor God” 2:16 pz3q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σαρκὸς 1 John is using the term **flesh** to mean the physical human body, which is made of **flesh**. Alternate translation: “the strong desire to have sinful physical pleasure” 2:16 x124 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν 1 John is using the term **eyes** to mean the ability to see. Alternate translation: “the strong desire to have the things that we see” @@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:19 rmj7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν 1 These people formerly met with the group of believers to whom John is writing. While they physically left the places where the believers met, John is also using the expression **went out** to mean that these people stopped being part of the group. Alternate translation: “They left our group of believers in Jesus” 2:19 ytb1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν & οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν 1 John is using the expression **from us** in a slightly different sense in these instances than in the first instance in the verse. In the first instance, it means that these people left the group. In this instance, it means that they were never genuinely part of the group. Alternate translation: “but they were never genuinely part of our group … none of them are genuinely part of our group” 2:19 j113 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly why John makes this claim. Alternate translation: “they were never genuinely part of our group, because they did not actually believe in Jesus in the first place” -2:19 j114 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-condition-contrary εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν 1 John is presenting a situation that is not real to help his readers recognize why the claim that he is making is true. Alternate translation: “We know that they were not genuinely part of our group because they did not continue to participate in it” +2:19 j114 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-condition-contrary εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν 1 John is presenting a situation that is not real to help his readers recognize why the claim that he is making is true. Alternate translation: “We know that they were not genuinely part of our group, because they did not continue to participate in it” 2:19 jin1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here the word seems to refer to continuing participation in a group. Alternate translation: “they would have continued to participate in our group” 2:19 j115 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν 1 John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous sentence. Alternate translation: “but they left us so that their actions would reveal that all of them were not genuinely part of our group” 2:19 j116 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν 1 See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. Here, the people were revealed as unbelievers when they left the group. If your language does not use passive forms, you can express this with an active form, and you can state what is doing the action. Alternate translation: “they left so that their actions would reveal” @@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:21 j126 πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this phrase by clarifying it by making the subject negative and the verb positive. Alternate translation: “no lie is from the truth” 2:21 nruw ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας 1 This second occurrence of **the truth** could refer to: (1) The same as the first occurrence. Alternate translation: “part of God’s true message” (2) God, who is the source of all truth. Alternate translation: “from God, the One who is true” 2:22 d71l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός? 1 John is using the question form for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question by translating his words as a statement or exclamation. Alternate translation: “Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Messiah is certainly a liar!” -2:22 d4u7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός 1 For emphasis, John is using a double negative in Greek, specifically, a negative verb (**denies**) with a negative particle, “not.” In English, it would come out as, “the one who denies that Jesus is not the Christ.” In Greek, the second negative does not cancel the first to create a positive meaning. But in English, the meaning would inaccurately be positive, which is why ULT uses only one negative. It leaves out “not” and says **the one denying that Jesus is the Christ**. However, if your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction in your translation. +2:22 d4u7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός 1 For emphasis, John is using a double negative in Greek, specifically, a negative verb (**denies**) with a negative particle, “not.” In English, it would come out as “the one who denies that Jesus is not the Christ.” In Greek, the second negative does not cancel the first to create a positive meaning. But in English, the meaning would inaccurately be positive, which is why ULT uses only one negative. It leaves out “not” and says **the one denying that Jesus is the Christ**. However, if your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction in your translation. 2:22 j128 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-genericnoun οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος 1 John is not referring here to the ultimate **antichrist** who will appear at the end of earthly history. John does not have a specific person in view here. Rather, he is speaking generally of all people who oppose Christ. See how you translated the term **antichrist** in [2:18](../02/18.md). Alternate translation: “Such a person is the enemy of Jesus” 2:22 z4t1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱόν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate explicitly why John says this about these people. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “By denying that Jesus is the Messiah, he is denying both God the Father, who sent Jesus to be the Messiah, and Jesus his Son, whom he sent” 2:22 pth9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱόν 1 **Father** and **Son** are important titles that describe the relationship between God and Jesus. Alternate translation: “God the Father and Jesus his Son” @@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:27 wr63 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as in [2:6](../02/06.md). See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “continue to have a close relationship with him” 2:27 j141 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ 1 John is speaking as if believers could be inside of God. Alternate translation: “continue to have a close relationship with him” 2:28 co6g rc://*/ta/man/checking/headings 0 If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 28. Suggested heading: “Children of God” -2:28 tii1 καὶ νῦν 1 John uses the expression **And now** to introduce a new part of the letter, in which he will talk about being children of God and the return of Jesus. In your translation, you could use a word, phrase, or other method that is natural in your language for introducing a new topic. +2:28 tii1 καὶ νῦν 1 John uses the expression **And now** to introduce a new part of the letter, in which he will talk about being children of God and about the return of Jesus. In your translation, you could use a word, phrase, or other method that is natural in your language for introducing a new topic. 2:28 kjn9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τεκνία 1 John readdresses the recipients as he begins a new section of the letter. See how you translated **little children** in [2:1](../02/01.md). Alternate translation: “you dear believers who are under my care” 2:28 j142 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, John seems to be using the expression in the same way that he has just used it in [2:27](../02/27.md). See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “continue to have a close relationship with him” 2:28 j143 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns αὐτῷ & ἐὰν φανερωθῇ & ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ & αὐτοῦ 1 The pronouns **him**, **he**, and **his** likely refer to Jesus in this verse, since John speaks of his **coming** or return. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “Jesus” in one or more of these instances. @@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 2:29 j148 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **righteousness** with an adjective such as “right.” Alternate translation: “everyone who does what is right” 2:29 u6er rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται 1 If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “God is the father of everyone who does what is right” 2:29 j149 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται 1 Since believers have not literally **been begotten** by God, John means this. He says in [4:9](../04/09.md) that Jesus is the “only-begotten” of God, since God is the actual Father of Jesus in a way that he is not the actual father of believers. Alternate translation: “God is the spiritual father of everyone who does what is right” -3:intro d8r2 0 # 1 John 3 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n1. Genuine children of God do not sin (3:1–10, continuing from 2:28)\n2. Genuine believers help one another sacrificially (3:11–18)\n3. Genuine believers have confidence in prayer (3:19–24)\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### “children of God”\n\nPeople are sometimes described as “children of God” because God created them. However, John uses this expression in a different sense in this chapter. He uses it to describe people who have entered into a father-child relationship with God by putting their faith and trust in Jesus. God indeed created all people, but people can only become children of God in this sense by believing in Jesus. “Children” in this usage does not refer to those who are young, but only to the relationship that people have at any age to their father. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/believe]])\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### “the one who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him” (3:24)\n\nThis does not mean that keeping our salvation is conditional on doing certain works. Rather, John is describing the results of keeping the commandments that he describes in [3:32](../03/32.md). Those commandments are to believe in Jesus and to love one another. John is saying that the person who believes in Jesus and loves others shows that he has a close relationship with God, and that he will continue to have that close relationship because of this obedience. Christians around the world hold different beliefs about whether people who have been saved can lose their salvation. That is not what John is addressing here, and translators should be careful not to let how they understand that issue affect how they translate this passage. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/eternity]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/save]])\n\n## Important textual issues in this chapter\n\nIn [3:1](../03/01.md), the most accurate ancient manuscripts include the words “and we are.” That is the reading that ULT follows. However, some other ancient manuscripts do not include these words, and so some Bibles do not have them. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) +3:intro d8r2 0 # 1 John 3 General Notes\n\n## Structure and Formatting\n\n1. Genuine children of God do not sin (3:1–10, continuing from 2:28)\n2. Genuine believers help one another sacrificially (3:11–18)\n3. Genuine believers have confidence in prayer (3:19–24)\n\n## Special Concepts in this Chapter\n\n### “children of God”\n\nPeople are sometimes described as “children of God” because God created them. However, John uses this expression in a different sense in this chapter. He uses it to describe people who have entered into a father-child relationship with God by putting their faith and trust in Jesus. God indeed created all people, but people can only become children of God in this sense by believing in Jesus. “Children” in this usage does not refer to those who are young, but only to the relationship that people have at any age to their father. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/believe]])\n\n## Other Possible Translation Difficulties in this Chapter\n\n### “the one who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him” (3:24)\n\nThis does not mean that keeping our salvation is conditional on doing certain works. Rather, John is describing the results of keeping the commandments that he describes in [3:32](../03/32.md). Those commandments are to believe in Jesus and to love one another. John is saying that the person who believes in Jesus and loves others shows that he has a close relationship with God, and that he will continue to have that close relationship because of this obedience. Christians around the world hold different beliefs about whether people who have been saved can lose their salvation. That is not what John is addressing here, and translators should be careful not to let how they understand that issue affect how they translate this passage. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/eternity]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/save]])\n\n## Important Textual Issues in this Chapter\n\nIn [3:1](../03/01.md), the most accurate ancient manuscripts include the words “and we are.” That is the reading that ULT follows. However, some other ancient manuscripts do not include these words, and so some Bibles do not have them. If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) 3:1 gl8n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἴδετε 1 John is using the term **See**. Alternate translation: “Consider” 3:1 j150 ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Πατὴρ 1 Alternate translation: “how greatly the Father has loved us” 3:1 j151 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples ὁ Πατὴρ 1 **Father** is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God the Father” @@ -413,12 +413,12 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 3:24 fz4g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ 1 Although the term **him** here is masculine, John is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “and God continues to have a close relationship with that person” 3:24 j231 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι 1 This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “this is how we know that” 3:24 j232 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μένει ἐν ἡμῖν 1 See the discussion of the term “remain” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. In this instance, it seems to mean the same thing as it does earlier in the verse. Alternate translation: “he continues to have a close relationship with us” -4:intro l3qa 0 # 1 John 4 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n1. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus became human (4:1–6)\n2. Genuine believers love one another as God has loved them (4:7–21)\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### “Spirit” and “spirit”\n\nJohn uses the word “spirit” in different ways in this chapter.\nSometimes the word “spirit” clearly refers to a supernatural being.\nSometimes the word “spirit” may refer either to the human spirit, to the character of something, or to a supernatural being. Therefore, the expressions “the spirit of the antichrist,” “the spirit of truth,” and “the spirit of error” may refer to the spirit of the humans who promote those things, the attitudes and thinking that are typical of those things, or to spiritual beings who inspire those things.\nWhen the word is written with a capital letter, as in the expressions “the Spirit of God” and “his Spirit,” it refers to the Holy Spirit.\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### Loving God\n\nIf people love God, they should show it in the way that they live and the way that they treat other people. Doing this may assure us that God has saved us and that we belong to him. But loving others does not save us. Be sure that this is clear in your translation. John says in 4:7 that “everyone who loves is begotten from God and knows God.” As the notes explain, this means that God is the spiritual father of everyone who loves, and everyone who loves is in a close relationship with God. But this love from God is a sign that they belong to God only because of what Jesus did for them on the cross, as John says in 4:10. They were saved by what Jesus did, not because they themselves loved others. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/save]])\n\n## Important textual issues in this chapter\n\nIn [4:3](../04/03.md), the most accurate ancient manuscripts say “acknowledge Jesus.” That is the reading that ULT follows. Some other ancient manuscripts say “acknowledge Jesus Christ having come in the flesh.” (Some of these manuscripts say “Jesus” or “the Lord Jesus” instead of “Jesus Christ.”) If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) +4:intro l3qa 0 # 1 John 4 General Notes\n\n## Structure and Formatting\n\n1. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus became human (4:1–6)\n2. Genuine believers love one another as God has loved them (4:7–21)\n\n## Special Concepts in this Chapter\n\n### “Spirit” and “spirit”\n\nJohn uses the word “spirit” in different ways in this chapter.\nSometimes the word “spirit” clearly refers to a supernatural being. Sometimes the word “spirit” may refer either to the human spirit, to the character of something, or to a supernatural being. Therefore, the expressions “the spirit of the antichrist,” “the spirit of truth,” and “the spirit of error” may refer to the spirit of the humans who promote those things, the attitudes and thinking that are typical of those things, or to spiritual beings who inspire those things.\nWhen the word is written with a capital letter, as in the expressions “the Spirit of God” and “his Spirit,” it refers to the Holy Spirit.\n\n## Other Possible Translation Difficulties in this Chapter\n\n### Loving God\n\nIf people love God, they should show it in the way that they live and the way that they treat other people. Doing this may assure us that God has saved us and that we belong to him. But loving others does not save us. Be sure that this is clear in your translation. John says in 4:7 that “everyone who loves is begotten from God and knows God.” As the notes explain, this means that God is the spiritual father of everyone who loves, and everyone who loves is in a close relationship with God. But this love from God is a sign that they belong to God only because of what Jesus did for them on the cross, as John says in 4:10. They were saved by what Jesus did, not because they themselves loved others. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/save]])\n\n## Important Textual Issues in this Chapter\n\nIn [4:3](../04/03.md), the most accurate ancient manuscripts say “acknowledge Jesus.” That is the reading that ULT follows. Some other ancient manuscripts say “acknowledge Jesus Christ having come in the flesh.” (Some of these manuscripts say “Jesus” or “the Lord Jesus” instead of “Jesus Christ.”) If a translation of the Bible already exists in your region, consider using whichever reading is found in that version. If a translation does not already exist, we recommend that you follow the reading in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) 4:1 a7h4 rc://*/ta/man/checking/headings 0 If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 1. Suggested heading: “Recognizing the Spirit of God” 4:1 h1lv rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj ἀγαπητοί 1 See how you translated **Beloved** in [2:7](../02/07.md). Alternate translation: “You people whom I love” 4:1 zm7f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε, ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα 1 John is speaking of a prophet by association with the **spirit** that would inspire a prophet to speak. Alternate translation: “do not believe every prophet; instead, consider carefully what prophets say” 4:1 j234 εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν 1 John uses the expression **from God** in various ways in this letter. Here it refers to origin. Alternate translation: “in order to determine whether God has sent them” or “in order to determine whether God is inspiring them” -4:1 x71q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν 1 This sentence leaves out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words. Alternate translation: “to see whether they are from God, or whether they are not from God” +4:1 x71q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν 1 This sentence leaves out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words. Alternate translation: “to see whether they are from God or whether they are not from God” 4:1 j235 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον 1 John uses **world** to mean various things in this letter. Here it refers to the people living in the world. Alternate translation: “are out there speaking to people” 4:2 j236 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκετε 1 This is an idiomatic expression that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how you can recognize” 4:2 j237 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ ὁμολογεῖ 1 John is speaking of a prophet by association with the **spirit** that would inspire a prophet to speak. Alternate translation: “Every prophet who teaches” @@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 4:5 j253 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν ἀκούει 1 The word **listens** is an idiom that means “believes” or “is persuaded by.” Alternate translation: “ungodly people believe them” 4:6 j254 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡμεῖς & ἡμῶν & ἡμῶν 1 The pronouns **We** and **us** in this verse are probably exclusive, and so if your language marks that distinction, we recommend using the exclusive form in your translation. John appears to be speaking here of himself and his fellow eyewitnesses of the resurrection as teachers of the truth about Jesus. He has already said that the believers to whom he is writing are from God in [4:4](../04/04.md). 4:6 j328 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν 1 Here, **from God** could mean: (1) that John and his fellow eyewitnesses teach the truth about Jesus because God has sent them to do that. Alternate translation: “God has sent us” (2) the same thing as it does in [4:4](../04/04.md) and in [4:1–3](../04/01.md). Alternate translation: “We belong to God” -4:6 j256 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν 1 If you have decided that **We are from God** means “God has sent us,” and if it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what God has sent John and the other eyewitnesses to do, either here or in a footnote. Alternate translation: “God has sent us to teach the truth about Jesus as eyewitnesses to his life on earth” +4:6 j256 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν 1 If you have decided that **We are from God** means “God has sent us,” and if it would be helpful to your readers, either here or in a footnote you could state explicitly what God has sent John and the other eyewitnesses to do. Alternate translation: “God has sent us to teach the truth about Jesus as eyewitnesses to his life on earth” 4:6 j257 ὁ γινώσκων τὸν Θεὸν 1 As in [2:3–4](../02/03.md), John is using the word **knowing** in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “Anyone who has a close relationship with God” 4:6 j258 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἀκούει ἡμῶν & οὐκ ἀκούει ἡμῶν 1 As in [4:5](../04/05.md), the word **listens** is an idiom that means “believes” or “is persuaded by.” Alternate translation: “believes what we teach … does not believe what we teach” 4:6 j259 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 The expression **from God** means the same thing in this verse as in [4:4](../04/04.md). See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “Whoever does not belong to God” or “Whoever is not living in relationship with God” @@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 4:17 ypv4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν τούτῳ 1 As in [4:9](../04/09.md), **In this** means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how” 4:17 bp6d rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ἐν τούτῳ 1 **In this** may refer: (1) backward to the last sentence of verse 16. Alternate translation: “By remaining in God,” (2) forward to the clause beginning **because just as that one is**. Alternate translation: “By loving others just the way that Jesus does,” 4:17 m76g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive τετελείωται ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ’ ἡμῶν 1 See how you translated the similar expression in [2:5](../02/05.md). Since John speaks in the previous verse of God’s love, here John is probably continuing to refer to God’s love for us, rather than to our love for God. Alternate translation: “God’s love has achieved its purpose in our lives” -4:17 j281 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως 1 The clause beginning **so that** could function as: (1) a result clause. That is, John may be saying that as a result of God’s love achieving its purposes in our lives now, we will be confident on the day of judgment of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for result clauses. Alternate translation: “with the result that we may have confidence in the day of judgment” (2) a purpose clause. That is, John may be saying that one reason why God is having his love achieve its purpose in our lives now is because he wants us to be confident on the day of judgment of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for purpose clauses. +4:17 j281 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως 1 The clause beginning **so that** could function as: (1) a result clause. That is, John may be saying that as a result of God’s love achieving its purposes in our lives now, we will be confident on the day of judgment of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for result clauses. Alternate translation: “with the result that we may have confidence in the day of judgment” (2) a purpose clause. That is, John may be saying that one reason why God is having his love achieve its purpose in our lives now is that on the day of judgment, he wants us to be confident of his forgiveness and acceptance. If you decide that is the case, then your translation should follow the conventions of your language for purpose clauses. 4:17 j282 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what believers will **have confidence** about. Alternate translation: “so that we will be confident that God has forgiven us and will accept us” 4:17 j283 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **confidence** with an adjective such as “confident.” Alternate translation: “so that we will be confident that God has forgiven us and will accept us” 4:17 j284 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως 1 John is using the term **day** to refer to a specific time. Alternate translation: “at the time when God judges us” @@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 4:21 j298 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ 1 The pronoun **him** refers to God. Alternate translation: “from God” 4:21 jrd1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-genericnoun ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν Θεὸν 1 Here, **the one** refers to anyone who loves God. Alternate translation: “anyone who loves God” 4:21 j299 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ 1 See how you translated **his brother** in [2:9](../02/09.md). Alternate translation: “each fellow believer” -5:intro bxm4 0 # 1 John 5 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n1. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Son of God (5:1–12)\n2. Closing of Letter (5:13–21)\n\n## Possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### “a sin towards death”\n\nIt is not entirely clear what John means by this phrase. The word “death” could refer either to physical death or to spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. See the further discussion in the notes to [5:16](../05/16.md). (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/other/death]])\n\n### “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”\n\nThe phrase “the evil one” refers to Satan. God has allowed him to rule the world, but, ultimately, God is in control over everything. God keeps his children safe from the evil one. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/satan]])\n\n## Important textual issues in this chapter\n\nIn [5:7–8](../05/07.md), all ancient manuscripts say: “For there are three who testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are unto the one.” That is the reading that ULT follows. Some much later manuscripts say: “For there are three who testify in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one; and there are three who testify on earth: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are unto the one.” In this case, translators are advised to translate this as the ULT text does, since there is wide agreement that it follows the accurate reading. However, if there are older versions of the Bible in your region that have the longer reading, you could include it, but you should put it inside square brackets [ ] and indicate in a footnote that it was most likely not in the original version of 1 John. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) +5:intro bxm4 0 # 1 John 5 General Notes\n\n## Structure and Formatting\n\n1. It is false teaching to deny that Jesus is the Son of God (5:1–12)\n2. Closing of Letter (5:13–21)\n\n## Possible Translation Difficulties in this Chapter\n\n### “a sin toward death”\n\nIt is not entirely clear what John means by this phrase. The word “death” could refer either to physical death or to spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. See the further discussion in the notes to [5:16](../05/16.md). (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/other/death]])\n\n### “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”\n\nThe phrase “the evil one” refers to Satan. God has allowed him to rule the world, but, ultimately, God is in control over everything. God keeps his children safe from the evil one. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/satan]])\n\n## Important textual issues in this chapter\n\nIn [5:7–8](../05/07.md), all ancient manuscripts say: “For there are three who testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are unto the one.” That is the reading that ULT follows. Some much later manuscripts say: “For there are three who testify in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one; and there are three who testify on earth: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are unto the one.” In this case, translators are advised to translate this as the ULT text does, since there is wide agreement that it follows the accurate reading. However, if there are older versions of the Bible in your region that have the longer reading, you could include it, but you should put it inside square brackets [ ] and indicate in a footnote that it was most likely not in the original version of 1 John. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]]) 5:1 ex42 rc://*/ta/man/checking/headings 0 If you are using section headings, you could put one here before verse 1. Suggested heading: “Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God” 5:1 j300 ὁ Χριστὸς 1 **Christ** is the Greek word for “Messiah.” Alternate translation: “the Messiah” 5:1 j301 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται 1 See how you translated the similar expression in [2:29](../02/29.md). Alternate translation: “God is the father of everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah” @@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 5:3 j306 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-possession ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 In this context, the phrase **the love of God** refers to believers loving God. John speaks in the previous verse of “when we love God.” Alternate translation: “what it means to love God” 5:3 uik3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἵνα τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν 1 Here, **keep** is an idiom that means “obey.” Alternate translation: “that we should obey his commandments” 5:3 c5z1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ βαρεῖαι οὐκ εἰσίν 1 John speaks of God’s **commandments** as if they had weight but did not weigh very much. Alternate translation: “his commandments are not difficult to obey” -5:4 j307 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-versebridge ὅτι πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον 1 In order to create a verse bridge, you could begin this sentence with “since” instead of **for**; you could end it with a comma instead of a period; and you could make it the beginning of the second sentence in the previous verse. It would go before “his commandments are not burdensome.” The word “And” would be left out. The result of combining verses 4 and 5 would be: “For this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments. Since everyone who has been begotten from God overcomes the world, his commandments are not burdensome. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.” +5:4 j307 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-versebridge ὅτι πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον 1 In order to create a verse bridge, you could begin this sentence with “Since” instead of **For**; you could end it with a comma instead of a period; and you could make it the beginning of the second sentence in the previous verse. It would go before “his commandments are not burdensome.” The word “And” would be left out. The result of combining verses 4 and 5 would be: “For this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments. Since everyone who has been begotten from God overcomes the world, his commandments are not burdensome. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.” 5:4 i2bf rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 See how you translated the similar expression in [2:29](../02/29.md). Alternate translation: “everyone whose father is God” 5:4 j308 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 See whether in [2:29](../02/29.md) you decided to explain this metaphor. Alternate translation: “everyone whose spiritual father is God” 5:4 g3uw rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον 1 As in [2:13](../02/13.md), John is using the word **overcomes**. He is speaking of the believers’ refusal to live by the value system of ungodly people as if the believers had defeated that system in a struggle. Alternate translation: “does not live by the value system of ungodly people” @@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 5:5 db4f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor νικῶν τὸν κόσμον 1 See how you translated **overcomes the world** in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “who does not live by the value system of ungodly people” 5:5 j311 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸν κόσμον 1 See how you translated **the world** in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “the value system of ungodly people” 5:5 drv2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 **Son of God** is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. -5:6 js27 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐλθὼν δι’ ὕδατος καὶ αἵματος 1 John is specifying here what it means to believe fully that “Jesus is the Son of God,” as he described in the previous verse. The terms **water** and **blood** are metonyms, representing different important ways that the Son of God **came** to us. You may want to clarify these meanings in the text, or do so in a footnote. The **blood** represents Jesus’ death on the cross, when he shed his blood as the Savior of the world. The **water** could stand for: (1) Jesus’ baptism. When John baptized Jesus in the water of the Jordan River, the Son of God began his ministry of reconciling the world to God. See the UST. (2) Jesus’ birth. There was the breaking of the birth water when the Son of God was born as a man. Alternate translation: “This is the one who came through the water of human birth and the blood of his sacrificial death” +5:6 js27 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐλθὼν δι’ ὕδατος καὶ αἵματος 1 John is specifying here what it means to believe fully that “Jesus is the Son of God,” as he described in the previous verse. The terms **water** and **blood** are metonyms representing different important ways that the Son of God **came** to us. You may want to clarify these meanings in the text or do so in a footnote. The **blood** represents Jesus’ death on the cross, when he shed his blood as the Savior of the world. The **water** could stand for: (1) Jesus’ baptism. When John baptized Jesus in the water of the Jordan River, the Son of God began his ministry of reconciling the world to God. See the UST. (2) Jesus’ birth. There was the breaking of the birth water when the Son of God was born as a man. Alternate translation: “This is the one who came through the water of human birth and the blood of his sacrificial death” 5:6 j312 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὁ ἐλθὼν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means, as UST does. 5:6 fgl6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor δι’ ὕδατος καὶ αἵματος 1 John is using a metaphor that pictures **water and blood** conveying Jesus to us or Jesus coming to us through water and through blood. The meaning is that Jesus became our Savior as he experienced baptism in water and submitted himself to death on the cross. Alternate translation “as our Savior, undergoing baptism and death” 5:6 x777 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-exceptions οὐκ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι καὶ ἐν τῷ αἵματι 1 If it sounds confusing in your language to say **not in water … but in water**, you could reword this to avoid repeating the phrase **in water**. Alternate translation: “not in water alone, but also in blood” @@ -576,8 +576,8 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 5:9 j322 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-condition-fact εἰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνομεν 1 John is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something this way if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what John is saying is not certain, then you could translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: “Since we receive the testimony of men” 5:9 ai6a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνομεν 1 This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “we believe people when they give testimony” 5:9 j323 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations τῶν ἀνθρώπων 1 Although the term **men** is masculine, John is using the word in a generic sense that could include both men and women. Alternate translation: “of people” -5:9 k2de rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν 1 The word **greater** implicitly means that the testimony of God is more reliable than human testimony, since God knows everything and God always tells the truth. Alternate translation: “the testimony of God is more reliable” -5:9 nxq1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν 1 John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: “we should certainly receive the testimony of God, since it is greater” or “we should certainly believe God when he gives testimony, since his testimony is even more reliable” +5:9 k2de rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν 1 The word **greater** implicitly means that the testimony of God is more reliable than human testimony since God knows everything and God always tells the truth. Alternate translation: “the testimony of God is more reliable” +5:9 nxq1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν 1 John is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: “we should certainly receive the testimony of God since it is greater” or “we should certainly believe God when he gives testimony since his testimony is even more reliable” 5:9 j324 ὅτι αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι μεμαρτύρηκεν περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ 1 Here, **For** could be introducing: (1) the content of God’s testimony to his Son. In that case, the content itself comes in [5:11](../05/11.md) after he repeats, “this is the testimony.” Verse 10 talks about the importance of believing God’s testimony. Alternate translation: “Now this is the testimony that God himself has given regarding his Son” (2) the reason why the testimony of God is greater than human testimony. Alternate translation: “After all, this is God who has told us about his own Son.” 5:9 ro4w rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 Here, **this** could refer to: (1) God’s testimony, which John says in [5:11](../05/11.md). Alternate translation: “I will tell you what God’s testimony is” (2) the three testimonies from [5:8](../05/08.md). Alternate translation: “those things are the testimony of God” 5:9 gt7u rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ 1 **Son** is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “his Son Jesus” @@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 5:13 wns6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 As in [2:12](../02/12.md), John is using the **name** of Jesus to represent who Jesus is and what he has done. Alternate translation: “who believe in the Son of God and what he has done for you” 5:13 gg32 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 **Son of God** is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. 5:13 j331 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὅτι ζωὴν ἔχετε αἰώνιον 1 The emphasis in this verse seems to be more on the future aspect of the expression **eternal life**. Alternate translation: “that you will live forever in God’s presence after you die” -5:14 j332 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παρρησία ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς αὐτόν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, as in [3:21](../03/21.md) you could state explicitly what this **confidence** applies to, in light of what John says in the rest of this sentence. Alternate translation: “we can be confident of this as we pray to God” +5:14 j332 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παρρησία ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς αὐτόν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, as in [3:21](../03/21.md) you could state explicitly what this **confidence** applies to in light of what John says in the rest of this sentence. Alternate translation: “we can be confident of this as we pray to God” 5:14 yj31 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παρρησία ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς αὐτόν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **confidence** with an adjective such as “confident.” Alternate translation: “we can be confident of this as we pray to God” 5:14 j333 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns αὐτόν & αὐτοῦ & ἀκούει 1 The pronouns **him**, **his**, and **he** refer to God in this verse. Consider whether it might be helpful to your readers or more natural in your language to use the name “God” in one or more of these instances. 5:14 at5n ἐάν τι αἰτώμεθα κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ 1 Alternate translation: “if we ask for the things that God wants for us” @@ -617,9 +617,9 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 5:16 j340 ἁμαρτάνοντα ἁμαρτίαν 1 If it is unnatural in your language to use both the verb **sinning** and the noun **sin**, you could use just one form of the word in your translation. Alternate translation: “committing a sin” 5:16 j341 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον & τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον & ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον 1 The word **death** in this verse and the next refers to spiritual death, that is, to eternal separation from God. (See the later note to this verse for a discussion of what kind of sin John may have in mind that would lead to that.) Alternate translation: “a sin that does not lead to eternal separation from God … for those whose sin will not lead to eternal separation from God … a sin that does lead to eternal separation from God” 5:16 j342 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-declarative αἰτήσει 1 John is using a future statement to give an instruction and command. Alternate translation: “he should pray for that fellow believer” -5:16 j343 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν 1 In this clause, the pronoun **him** refers to the believer who is sinning, and the pronoun **he** could refer to: (1) God, since only God can give spiritual life. Alternate translation: “God will give life to the believer who is sinning” (2) **anyone**, that is, the person praying. In this case, John may be picturing God giving life by means of the person’s prayers, as in James 5:15, 20. Alternate translation: “he will be God’s instrument to give life to the believer who is sinning” +5:16 j343 rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-pronouns δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν 1 In this clause, the pronoun **him** refers to the believer who is sinning, and the pronoun **he** could refer to: (1) God since only God can give spiritual life. Alternate translation: “God will give life to the believer who is sinning” (2) **anyone**, that is, the person praying. In this case, John may be picturing God giving life by means of the person’s prayers, as in James 5:15, 20. Alternate translation: “he will be God’s instrument to give life to the believer who is sinning” 5:16 myf6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν 1 The word **life** here refers to spiritual life, that is, to eternal life with God. Alternate translation: “God will make sure that the believer who is sinning is not separated from him eternally” -5:16 q1me rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἔστιν ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον; οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means. In the context of the whole letter, by **a sin towards death**, John is probably referring to behavior such as the false teachers engaged in and encouraged. As Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John explains, these false teachers claimed that it did not matter what people did in their bodies, and so they would have been committing many serious sins without feeling any conviction that their actions were wrong. This showed that they had abandoned faith in Jesus and had rejected the influence of the Holy Spirit. John implicitly corrects this false teaching again in [5:18](../05/18.md). His statement that believers should not pray for people who behave in this way is likely descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, he is not saying that he does not want the believers to pray for them. Rather, he is explaining that it will not do any good to pray for them, since they are determined to live in a way that is contrary to faith in Jesus and the influence of the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: “There are people (such as the false teachers) who are sinning in a way that shows that they have decided to be separated from God for eternity. Praying for them is not likely to make any difference” +5:16 q1me rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἔστιν ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον; οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means. In the context of the whole letter, by **a sin toward death**, John is probably referring to behavior such as the false teachers engaged in and encouraged. As Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John explains, these false teachers claimed that it did not matter what people did in their bodies, and so they would have been committing many serious sins without feeling any conviction that their actions were wrong. This showed that they had abandoned faith in Jesus and had rejected the influence of the Holy Spirit. John implicitly corrects this false teaching again in [5:18](../05/18.md). His statement that believers should not pray for people who behave in this way is likely descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, he is not saying that he does not want the believers to pray for them. Rather, he is explaining that it will not do any good to pray for them since they are determined to live in a way that is contrary to faith in Jesus and the influence of the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: “There are people (such as the false teachers) who are sinning in a way that shows that they have decided to be separated from God for eternity. Praying for them is not likely to make any difference” 5:17 j344 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns πᾶσα ἀδικία ἁμαρτία ἐστίν, καὶ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία οὐ πρὸς θάνατον 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **unrighteousness** with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “Every time we do what God does not want, that is sin” 5:17 j345 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast καὶ 1 John is using the word **and** to introduce a contrasting statement that is intended to encourage the believers to whom he is writing. Alternate translation: “however,” 5:17 j346 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἔστιν ἁμαρτία οὐ πρὸς θάνατον 1 See how you translated the word **death** in the previous verse. Alternate translation: “not every sin leads to eternal separation from God” or “not every sin causes a person to die spiritually” @@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ front:intro nl27 0 # Introduction to 1 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introductio 5:19 j354 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν 1 See how you translated the similar expression in [4:4](../04/04.md). Alternate translation: “we are sharing life with God” or “we are living in relationship with God” 5:19 eh5z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὁ κόσμος ὅλος 1 John uses the term **world** in various ways in this letter. In this instance, it likely refers both to the people living in the **world** who do not honor God and to their value system. Alternate translation: “all ungodly people and their value system” 5:19 n9ig rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται 1 The expression **lies in** represents being controlled by someone or something. Alternate translation: “is controlled by the evil one” or “is controlled by evil influences” -5:19 j355 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τῷ πονηρῷ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract noun **evil** by stating the meaning behind it with an equivalent expression. This could mean: (1) John may be speaking of the devil, as in [2:13](../02/13.md). Alternate translation: “the devil” (2) John may be speaking of evil influences. Alternate translation: “evil influences” +5:19 j355 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τῷ πονηρῷ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract noun **evil** by stating the meaning behind it with an equivalent expression. This could mean that: (1) John may be speaking of the devil, as in [2:13](../02/13.md). Alternate translation: “the devil” (2) John may be speaking of evil influences. Alternate translation: “evil influences” 5:20 je13 rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 **Son of God** is an important title for Jesus that describes his relationship to God. 5:20 j356 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἥκει 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state more explicitly what this means, as you may have done in [5:6](../05/06.md). Alternate translation: “has come to earth from God” 5:20 n1nh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns δέδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **understanding** with a verb such as “understand.” Alternate translation: “has enabled us to understand”