¹⁸ Children, ^(A)it is the last hour; and just as you heard that ^(B)antichrist is coming, ^(C)even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. ^19 (D)They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, ^(E)so that ^[a]it would be evident that they all are not of us. ^20 [b]But you have an ^(F)anointing from ^(G)the Holy One, and ^(H)you all know. ²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but ^(I)because you do know it, and ^[c]because no lie is ^(J)of the truth. ²² Who is the liar except ^(K)the one who denies that Jesus is the ^[d]Christ? This is ^(L)the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. ^23 (M)Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴ As for you, see that what you heard ^(N)from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also ^(O)will remain in the Son and in the Father.

The Promise Is Eternal Life

^25 (P)This is the promise which He Himself ^[e]made to us: eternal life.

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to ^(Q)deceive you. ²⁷ And as for you, the ^(R)anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing ^(S)teaches you about all things, and is ^(T)true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, ^[f]you remain in Him.