1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Watoto wangu, ninawaandikieni mambo haya, kusudi msitende dhambi. Lakini, ikijatokea mtu akatenda dhambi, tunaye mmoja ambaye hutuombea kwa Baba, ndiye Yesu Kristo aliye mwadilifu kabisa.
2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
2Kristo ndiye sadaka iondoayo dhambi zetu; wala si dhambi zetu sisi tu, bali pia dhambi za ulimwengu wote.
3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
3Tukizitii amri za Mungu, basi, tunaweza kuwa na hakika kwamba tunamjua.
4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
4Mtu akisema kwamba anamjua, lakini hazitii amri zake, basi mtu huyo ni mwongo, na ukweli haumo ndani yake.
5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
5Lakini mtu yeyote anayeshika neno la Mungu, huyo ndiye aliye na upendo kamili wa Mungu ndani yake. Hivi ndivyo tunavyoweza kuwa na hakika kwamba tunaungana naye:
6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
6mtu yeyote anayesema kwamba ameungana na Mungu, anapaswa kuishi kama alivyoishi Yesu Kristo.
7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
7Wapenzi wangu, amri hii ninayowaandikieni si amri mpya; ni amri ileile ya zamani mliyokuwa nayo tangu mwanzo. Amri hiyo ya zamani ni ule ujumbe mliousikia.
8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
8Hata hivyo, amri hii ninayowaandikieni ni amri mpya, na ukweli wake unaonekana ndani ya Kristo na ndani yenu pia. Maana giza linatoweka, na mwanga wa ukweli umekwisha anza kuangaza.
9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
9Yeyote asemaye kwamba yumo katika mwanga, lakini anamchukia ndugu yake, mtu huyo bado yumo gizani.
10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
10Yeyote ampendaye ndugu yake, yuko katika mwanga, na hamna chochote ndani yake kiwezacho kumkwaza mtu mwingine.
11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
11Lakini anayemchukia ndugu yake, yumo gizani; anatembea gizani, na hajui anakokwenda, maana giza limempofusha.
12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
12Ninawaandikieni ninyi watoto, kwa kuwa dhambi zenu zimeondolewa kwa jina la Kristo.
13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
13Nawaandikieni ninyi kina baba kwani mnamjua yeye ambaye amekuwako tangu mwanzo, Nawaandikieni ninyi vijana kwa sababu mmemshinda yule Mwovu.
14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
14Nawaandikieni ninyi watoto, kwa sababu mnamjua Baba. Nawaandikieni ninyi kina baba, kwa kuwa mnamjua yeye ambaye amekuwako tangu mwanzo. Nawaandikieni ninyi vijana kwa sababu mna nguvu; neno la Mungu limo ndani yenu na mmemshinda yule Mwovu.
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
15Msiupende ulimwengu, wala chochote kilicho cha ulimwengu. Mtu anayeupenda ulimwengu, upendo wa Baba hauwezi kuwamo ndani yake.
16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
16Vitu vyote vya ulimwengu-tamaa mbaya za mwili, vitu wanavyoviona watu na kuvitamani, majivuno yasababishwayo na mali-vyote hivyo havitoki kwa Baba, bali vyatoka kwa ulimwengu.
17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
17Ulimwengu pamoja na vitu vyake vyote vyenye kutamanika unapita; lakini mtu atendaye atakalo Mungu, anaishi milele.
18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
18Watoto, mwisho u karibu! Mlikwisha sikia kwamba adui wa Kristo anakuja, na sasa adui wengi wa Kristo wamekwisha fika, na hivyo twajua kwamba mwisho u karibu.
19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
19Watu hao wametokea kati yetu lakini hawakuwa kweli wa kwetu na ndiyo maana walituacha; Kama wangalikuwa wa kwetu, wangalibaki nasi. Lakini waliondoka, wakaenda zao, kusudi ionekane wazi kwamba hawakuwa kamwe wa kwetu.
20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
20Ninyi, lakini, mlipata kumiminiwa Roho Mtakatifu na Kristo, na hivyo mnaujua ukweli.
21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
21Basi, nawaandikieni, si kwa kuwa hamuujui ukweli, bali kwa sababu mnaujua; na pia mnajua kwamba uongo wowote haupatikani katika ukweli.
22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
22Mwongo ni nani? Ni yule anayekana kwamba Yesu ni Masiha. Mtu wa namna hiyo ni adui wa Kristo--anamkana Baba na Mwana.
23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
23Maana yeyote anayemkana Mwana, anamkana pia Baba; na yeyote anayemkubali Mwana, anampata Baba pia.
24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
24Basi, ujumbe ule mliousikia tangu mwanzo na ukae mioyoni mwenu. Kama ujumbe huo mliousikia tangu mwanzo ukikaa ndani yenu, basi, mtaishi daima katika umoja na Mwana na Baba.
25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
25Na ahadi aliyotuahidia sisi ndiyo hii: uzima wa milele.
26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
26Nimewaandikieni mambo haya kuhusu wale wanaotaka kuwapotosha ninyi.
27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
27Lakini, kwa upande wenu ninyi, Kristo aliwamiminieni Roho wake. Na kama akiendelea kukaa ndani yenu, hamhitaji kufundishwa na mtu yeyote. Maana Roho wake anawafundisheni kila kitu na mafundisho yake ni ya kweli, si ya uongo. Basi shikeni mafundisho ya huyo Roho na kubaki katika muungano na Kristo.
28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
28Naam, watoto, kaeni ndani yake kusudi wakati atakapotokea tuwe hodari bila kuwa na sababu ya kujificha kwa aibu Siku ya kuja kwake.
29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
29Mnajua kwamba Kristo ni mwadilifu kabisa; basi, mnapaswa kujua pia kwamba kila mtu atendaye mambo adili ni mtoto wa Mungu.