1My children, these things I write to you in order that ye may not sin; and if any one sin, we have a patron 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; but not for ours alone, but also for the whole world.
2Kristo ndiye sadaka iondoayo dhambi zetu; wala si dhambi zetu sisi tu, bali pia dhambi za ulimwengu wote.
3And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
3Tukizitii amri za Mungu, basi, tunaweza kuwa na hakika kwamba tunamjua.
4He that says, I know him, and does not keep 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 whoever keeps his word, in him verily the love of God is perfected. Hereby we know 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 says he abides in him ought, even as *he* walked, himself also [so] to walk.
6mtu yeyote anayesema kwamba ameungana na Mungu, anapaswa kuishi kama alivyoishi Yesu Kristo.
7Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment, which ye have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye heard.
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, I write a new commandment to you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light already shines.
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 who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now.
9Yeyote asemaye kwamba yumo katika mwanga, lakini anamchukia ndugu yake, mtu huyo bado yumo gizani.
10He that loves his brother abides in light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.
10Yeyote ampendaye ndugu yake, yuko katika mwanga, na hamna chochote ndani yake kiwezacho kumkwaza mtu mwingine.
11But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
11Lakini anayemchukia ndugu yake, yumo gizani; anatembea gizani, na hajui anakokwenda, maana giza limempofusha.
12I write to you, 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 to you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked [one]. I write to 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 to you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides 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, nor the things in the world. If any one 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.
16because 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 is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity.
17Ulimwengu pamoja na vitu vyake vyote vyenye kutamanika unapita; lakini mtu atendaye atakalo Mungu, anaishi milele.
18Little children, it is [the] last hour, and, according as ye have heard that antichrist comes, even now there have come many antichrists, whence we know that it is [the] last hour.
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 among us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have surely remained with us, but that they might be made manifest that none are 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.
20And *ye* have [the] 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 to you because ye do not know 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 the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? *He* is the antichrist who denies 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.
23Whoever denies the Son has not the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also.
23Maana yeyote anayemkana Mwana, anamkana pia Baba; na yeyote anayemkubali Mwana, anampata Baba pia.
24As for *you* let that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you: if what ye have heard from the beginning abides in you, *ye* also shall abide 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 which *he* has promised us, life eternal.
25Na ahadi aliyotuahidia sisi ndiyo hii: uzima wa milele.
26These things have I written to you concerning those who lead you astray:
26Nimewaandikieni mambo haya kuhusu wale wanaotaka kuwapotosha ninyi.
27and *yourselves*, the unction which ye have received from him abides in you, and ye have not need that any one should teach you; but as the same unction teaches you as to all things, and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has 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, children, abide in him, that if he be manifested we may have boldness, and not be put to shame from 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, know that every one who practises righteousness is begotten of him.
29Mnajua kwamba Kristo ni mwadilifu kabisa; basi, mnapaswa kujua pia kwamba kila mtu atendaye mambo adili ni mtoto wa Mungu.