1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Tazameni, ni pendo la namna gani alilotupa Baba, kwamba tuitwe wana wa Mungu; na ndivyo tulivyo. Kwa sababu hii ulimwengu haututambui, kwa kuwa haukumtambua yeye.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Wapenzi, sasa tu wana wa Mungu, wala haijadhihirika bado tutakavyokuwa; lakini twajua ya kuwa atakapodhihirishwa, tutafanana naye; kwa maana tutamwona kama alivyo.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Na kila mwenye matumaini haya katika yeye hujitakasa, kama yeye alivyo mtakatifu.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Kila atendaye dhambi, afanya uasi; kwa kuwa dhambi ni uasi.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Nanyi mnajua ya kuwa yeye alidhihirishwa, ili aziondoe dhambi; na dhambi haimo ndani yake.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Kila akaaye ndani yake hatendi dhambi; kila atendaye dhambi hakumwona yeye, wala hakumtambua.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Watoto wadogo, mtu na asiwadanganye; atendaye haki yuna haki, kama yeye alivyo na haki;
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
atendaye dhambi ni wa Ibilisi; kwa kuwa Ibilisi hutenda dhambi tangu mwanzo. Kwa kusudi hili Mwana wa Mungu alidhihirishwa, ili azivunje kazi za Ibilisi.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Kila mtu aliyezaliwa na Mungu hatendi dhambi, kwa sababu uzao wake wakaa ndani yake; wala hawezi kutenda dhambi kwa sababu amezaliwa kutokana na Mungu.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Katika hili watoto wa Mungu ni dhahiri, na watoto wa Ibilisi nao. Mtu ye yote asiyetenda haki hatokani na Mungu, wala yeye asiyempenda ndugu yake.
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Maana, hii ndiyo habari mliyoisikia tangu mwanzo, kwamba tupendane sisi kwa sisi;
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
si kama Kaini alivyokuwa wa yule mwovu, akamwua ndugu yake. Naye alimwua kwa sababu gani? Kwa sababu matendo yake yalikuwa mabaya, na ya ndugu yake yalikuwa ya haki.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
Ndugu zangu, msistaajabu, ulimwengu ukiwachukia.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Sisi tunajua ya kuwa tumepita toka mautini kuingia uzimani, kwa maana twawapenda ndugu. Yeye asiyependa, akaa katika mauti.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Kila amchukiaye ndugu yake ni mwuaji: nanyi mnajua ya kuwa kila mwuaji hana uzima wa milele ukikaa ndani yake.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God , because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Katika hili tumelifahamu pendo, kwa kuwa yeye aliutoa uhai wake kwa ajili yetu; imetupasa na sisi kuutoa uhai wetu kwa ajili ya hao ndugu.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Lakini mtu akiwa na riziki ya dunia, kisha akamwona ndugu yake ni mhitaji, akamzuilia huruma zake, je! Upendo wa Mungu wakaaje ndani yake huyo?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Watoto wadogo, tusipende kwa neno, wala kwa ulimi, bali kwa tendo na kweli.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
Katika hili tutafahamu ya kwamba tu wa kweli, nasi tutaituliza mioyo yetu mbele zake,
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
ikiwa mioyo yetu inatuhukumu; kwa maana Mungu ni mkuu kuliko mioyo yetu naye anajua yote.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
Wapenzi, mioyo yetu isipotuhukumu, tuna ujasiri kwa Mungu;
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
na lo lote tuombalo, twalipokea kwake, kwa kuwa twazishika amri zake, na kuyatenda yapendezayo machoni pake.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
Na hii ndiyo amri yake, kwamba tuliamini jina la Mwana wake Yesu Kristo, na kupendana sisi kwa sisi, kama alivyotupa amri.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Naye azishikaye amri zake hukaa ndani yake yeye naye ndani yake. Na katika hili tunajua ya kuwa anakaa ndani yetu, kwa huyo Roho aliyetupa.
