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1 John — PBE 2027 Study Guide

Walking in light, love, and truth.

A pastoral letter from the Apostle John addressing assurance, love, and warnings against false teaching about Jesus.

Author

The Apostle John

Chapters

Date written

c. AD 85–95

Audience

Christian churches in Asia Minor

Key theme

Assurance, love, and walking in truth

Notable passages

1 John 1:5–10, 3:1–3, 4:7–21, 5:11–13

Overview

The First Epistle of John was written by the Apostle John late in his life, likely from Ephesus, to churches under his care. The letter responds to early false teachers (sometimes called proto-Gnostics) who denied that Jesus had truly come in the flesh. John writes to give believers assurance of salvation and to call them to walk in light, love, and obedience. Three tests recur throughout the letter: the moral test (do you obey God's commands?), the social test (do you love fellow Christians?), and the doctrinal test (do you confess Jesus as the Christ come in the flesh?). The famous declaration "God is love" (1 John 4:8) comes from this book.

Chapters

Browse each chapter for a study overview and sample practice questions:

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Sample Practice Questions

A small preview from the PBE Quizin database — the full set of questions for 1 John is available free to all signed-up users:

1 John 4

According to 1 John 4:6, who hears the apostles? (1 point)

1 John 4

According to 1 John 4:17, True or False: Love perfected in us gives us boldness in the day of judgment. (1 point)

1 John 2

According to 1 John 2:16, for all that is in the world — the lust of the _____ the lust of the _____ and the _____ of life — is not of the _____ but is of the world. (4 points)

1 John 2

According to 1 John 2:19, where did the antichrists come from? (1 point)

1 John 2

According to 1 John 2:6, True or False: John says anyone who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as He walked. (1 point)

1 John 5

According to 1 John 5:13, to whom has John written these things? (1 point)

1 John 2

According to 1 John 2:18, True or False: John says the presence of many antichrists shows it is the last hour. (1 point)

1 John 5

According to 1 John 5:1 through 5:21, complete this 8-blank summary: whoever _____ that Jesus is the Christ is born of God — the _____ that has overcome the world is our faith — Jesus came by water and _____ — the testimony is that God has given us _____ life and this life is in His _____ — he who has the Son has _____ — if we ask anything according to His _____ He hears us — the Son of God has come and given us an _____ that we may know Him who is true. (8 points)

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