Book Introduction
1 John
Written by John
The Author
John — One of Jesus' closest — now an elderly leader writing to protect his spiritual children
Traditionally attributed to the John, the same author as the Gospel of John. The style and theology closely match. Some scholars attribute it to 'John the Elder,' a separate figure. The letter itself doesn't name its author.
~85-95 AD
Churches in (likely area) dealing with a church split
To give assurance of and combat false teaching about who Jesus really is
John's Churches in Asia Minor
3 locationsLoading map
What's It About?
First John is written by an old man who's seen it all and has one message: God is love, and if you know God, you'll love others. Contains one of the most quoted verses in the Bible — 'God is love' (4:8). Some people had left the church claiming special knowledge and denying that Jesus came in the flesh. John draws clear lines: real shows up in love, obedience, and believing that Jesus is fully God and fully human. No middle ground.