1That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life 2(and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); 3that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.
5This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t tell the truth. 7But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The apostle John's words in the introduction to 1 John have many similarities to what he writes in his Gospel (John 1:1-18).
| Gospel of John | First Epistle of John |
| 1:1 In the beginning was the Word | 1:1 That which was from the beginning |
| 1:1 The word became flesh and dwelt among us | 1:1 Seen with our eyes, which we saw, and our hands have touched |
| 1:4 Concerning the Word of life | 1:1 Concerning the Word of life |
| 1:18 Who was in the bosom of the Father has declared him | 1:2 He was with the Father and was revealed to us |
Consequently, in these two works by the apostle John, he stresses both the spiritual nature of Jesus, as the Word of God, and the knowledge he acquired in his association with Jesus as God and man as a disciple of the Lord for more than three years. John desires to make available to his hearers the ability to have personal fellowship with Jesus as he and the other apostles, as well as joy by having a relationship with Christ and others (John 15:11).