1 This letter is about the Word of life which existed from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our very own eyes and gazed upon, and which our hands have touched.* The Greek sentence structure has been adjusted to make better sense in English. 2 This Life was revealed to us; we saw it and give evidence about it. We are telling you about the One who is Eternal Life, who was with the Father, and who was revealed to us. 3 What we have seen and heard we are now explaining to you, so that you may also share in this friendship† Literally, “fellowship.” together with us—this friendship that is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We're writing to tell you about this in order to make our happiness complete.

5 This is the message we received from him and that we declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him at all.‡ In the Greek there is a double negative for emphasis, literally, “darkness in him not there is, not at all.” 6 If we claim to share this friendship with him and yet go on living§ Literally, “walking.” Also in 1:7. in darkness, we're lying, and not living in the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as he is in the light, then we share in this friendship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, makes us clean from every sin.

8 If we claim to be sinless we only fool ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, he is trustworthy and right so that he can forgive us our sins and make us clean from all that is not right in us. 10 If we claim we haven't sinned, we turn him into a liar, and his word is not in us.