# Connecting Statement:

John gives believers basic principles of fellowship—obedience and love.

# Beloved, I am

"You people whom I love, I am" or "Dear friends, I am"

# I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment

"I write to you to love one other, which is not a new thing to do but an old commandment that you had heard." John refers to Jesus' command to love one another.

# from the beginning

Here, "beginning" refers to when they decided to follow Christ. AT: "from when you first believed in Christ" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# The old commandment is the word that you heard.

""The old commandment is the message that you heard"

# Yet I am writing a new commandment to you

"But in one way the commandment I write to you is a new commandment"

# which is true in Christ and in you

"which is true, as shown in Christ's deeds and your deeds"

# the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining

Here "darkness" is a metaphor for "evil" and "light" is a metaphor for "good." AT: "because you are ceasing to do evil and you are doing more and more good" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/beloved]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/command]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/true]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/word]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/darkness]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/light]]