1 John 2:1
My 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:
Study Note
Study Note
The pastoral balance of 1 John 2:1 is precise: 'My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' The intention is prevention ('that you may not sin') without the pastoral catastrophe of despair when sin occurs: 'if anyone does sin' — acknowledging reality without excusing it. The term 'advocate' (paraklētos — the same word used for the Holy Spirit in John 14-16) here refers to Christ's heavenly intercession in the Father's presence, a function also described in Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34. The qualifier 'the righteous' (dikaion) indicates that the advocate's effectiveness depends not on the client's righteousness but on the advocate's own, grounding assurance in Christ's perfect moral standing.
Other Translations
My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
My little children, these things I write to you, that ye may not sin: and if any one may sin, an advocate we have with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one,
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may be without sin. And if any man is a sinner, we have a friend and helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, the upright one:
Cross References
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely …
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, …
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; …
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest …
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, …
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, …
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of …
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.