# Connecting Statement:

John gives believers basic principles of fellowship—obedience and love.

# Beloved, I am

"You people whom I love, I am" or "Dear friends, I am"

# I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment

"I write to you to love one other, which is not a new thing to do but an old commandment that you had heard." John refers to Jesus' command to love one another.

# from the beginning

Here, "beginning" refers to when they decided to follow Christ. Alternate translation: "from when you first believed in Christ" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# The old commandment is the word that you heard.

"The old commandment is the message that you heard"