Overcoming the World 1 UST All those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah are spiritually children of God. Now, whoever loves anyone who is a father{ certainly} loves his child also.{ So if we believe in Jesus, then we love God, and therefore we should also love his spiritual children, our fellow believers.} BSB BSB: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
2 UST We can be sure that we do truly love God’ s spiritual children when we love God and do what he commands us to do. BSB BSB: By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.
3 UST I am saying this because what loving God really means is that we do what he commands us to do. And it is not difficult to do what he commands us to do. BSB BSB: For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
4 UST Here is the reason why it is not difficult for us to do what God commands. All of us who have become God’ s spiritual children have been able to refuse to do what unbelievers want us to do. There is one reason why we are stronger than everything that is against God. It is because we trust in Jesus. BSB BSB: because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
5 UST I will tell you who is stronger than everything that is against God: It is anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. BSB BSB: Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 UST Jesus the Messiah is the one who came{ to earth from God}, experiencing both{ the} water{ of his baptism} and{ the} blood{ of his death on the cross}. God showed that he had truly sent Jesus not only{ when John baptized Jesus} in water, but also when Jesus’ blood flowed from his body{ when he died}. And God’ s Spirit declares{ truthfully that Jesus the Messiah did these things}, because the Spirit is completely truthful. BSB BSB: This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth.
7 UST So there are three ways by which we know{ that Jesus is the Messiah who came from God}. BSB BSB: For there are three that testify:
8 UST { Those three ways are:} what God’ s Spirit tells us, what happened{ when John baptized Jesus} in water, and what happened when{ Jesus’} blood flowed{ from his body when he died on the cross}. These three things all tell us the same thing{, that Jesus came from God}. BSB BSB: the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.
God’s Testimony about His Son 9 UST We rely on what people tell us when we have to decide about something. But we can certainly rely much more on what God tells us. So let me tell you what God has told us about who his Son is. BSB BSB: Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son.
10 UST { First, however, let me say that} those who trust in the Son of God already know that what God says about him is true. But those who do not believe what God says are calling him a liar because they have refused to believe what God has testified about his Son. BSB BSB: Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.
12 UST Those who share life with God’ s Son{ Jesus} have begun to live forever{ with God}. Those who do not share life with God’ s Son have not begun to live forever. BSB BSB: Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Effective Prayer 14 UST I also want you to know that we can be very confident that God wants to do what we ask of him when we pray for what he desires. BSB BSB: And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 UST Since we know that God wants to give us whatever we ask of him,{ if it is what he desires,} then we also know that God is already giving us what we ask of him. BSB BSB: And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.
16 UST For example, suppose someone sees one of his fellow believers sinning in a way that would not separate him from God eternally. Then he should ask{ God to restore the one who is sinning}. If he does that, then God will bring that person back into spiritual life with himself. However, I am saying this only about people who are sinning in a way that would not separate them from God eternally. There is sin that causes people to separate from God eternally. I am not saying that you should pray for people who are sinning in that way. BSB BSB: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.
17 UST Every wrong thing that people do is a sin{ against God}, but there are some sins that will not separate a person from God eternally. BSB BSB: All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.
The True God 18 UST We know that everyone who has become God’ s spiritual son or daughter does not continually sin. Instead, those who have God as their spiritual Father are careful to keep themselves{ from sinning} so that Satan, that evil being, does not harm them{ spiritually}. BSB BSB: We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
19 UST We know that we belong to God. We also know that Satan, that evil being, is controlling all the people who are unbelievers. BSB BSB: We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
20 UST We also know that the Son of God has come among us and has made it possible for us to understand{ what is true}. He did this so that we can truly know the genuine God. And we are sharing life with the genuine God,{ that is,} with his Son, Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is truly God, and he is the one who gives us{ this new,} eternal life. BSB BSB: And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21 UST I say this to you who are as dear to me as though you were my own children:“Be careful that you never give yourselves to anything that is a false god.” BSB BSB: Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.