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.
1:2 John refers to the Word of life as being made visible to them and that he had seen it. His use of “bear witness” and “announce” emphasizes that what he writes is based on his eyewitness testimony. He describes “The Eternal Life” as being present with the Father and then being manifested to the apostles. This again reflects John’s words in his Gospel that the Word was present with God as well as being God (John 1:1). This means that the Word of life is the same Word that became flesh and was with God and was God, thus, Jesus. John uses the same grammatical construction as in John 1:1 to say that as the Word was with God, so, too, this Eternal Life is with God. Thus, all these combined indicate that Jesus is both the Word and Eternal Life incarnate, presently standing in the presence of God the Father.