In this (compare “by this” in 2.3. Love, literally “the love,” is preferably interpreted as referring to God’s love for us and may have to be rendered ‘his/God’s love,’ ‘that he/God loves (us).’ With us is probably a Hebraism; the preposition has the same meaning as in the phrase “in him” in 2.5a, which see.

That: in the interpretation recommended in these notes, the that clause explains in this by mentioning something that is to be made to happen. Accordingly the connective that has the meaning “namely that,” “to wit that.” If, however, in this is taken as pointing back, the connective that can better be given consecutive meaning, as in “so that,” “with the result that.”

We may have confidence for the day of judgment is preferably taken as a reference to the future, “we will have confidence on….” For “to have confidence” see comments on 2.28.

The day of judgment, or ‘the day when all men (or we) are judged,’ ‘the moment when Christ judges mankind/us’: the phrase occurs as a technical term for an eschatological event (an event at the last days), both in the Greek version of the Old testament and in the New Testament (for example, Matt 10.15; 12.36; 2 Peter 2.9; 3.7). References to that event are found also in John 5.22, 27; 1 John 2.28-29, where it is Christ who judges in the name of God.

Judgment and “to judge” are in themselves neutral terms referring to making a decision in a lawsuit or in a similar affair. The concept is often to be rendered by an idiomatic or descriptive phrase such as ‘word straight to throw,’ ‘separate the good men from the wicked,’ ‘to measure something,’ and ‘to finish a case.’

In the present context, however, this basically neutral word has acquired a menacing sound because of man’s sinfulness; hence such renderings as ‘judge us for our sins (literally to receive our words about our sins),’ ‘inquiry about sin.’ Some versions use words referring to condemnation or punishment; this is to be rejected, since it anticipates an unfavorable decision for all, whereas the context presupposes a favorable decision for Christ’s followers.

Because as he is so are we in this world explains what is the foundation of their confidence. The clause is sometimes better rendered as a new sentence; for example, ‘This is so because as he is….’ For he (literally “that-one”) referring to Christ see comments on 2.6.

As he is so are we, or ‘we are just as Christ is,’ ‘our life is like Christ’s (life)’: the point of comparison may be Christ’s righteousness (see comments on 2.29 and compare 3.3) or his relationship with God. The latter fits the present context best; between God and Jesus there is perfect love and fellowship (compare John 14.10; 15.9-10; 17.11, 15-16, 21-23). Since this relationship is the model of the Christian’s relationship with God, and since Jesus can never be thought of as fearing his heavenly Father, his followers should not fear him either.

This point of comparison should preferably not be made explicit unless idiom requires doing so. In the latter case one may have to say something like ‘as he is living with God, so are we.’

In this world goes with so are we. The modification serves to express that man as he is in this world does not have the same direct and full relationship with God’s love as Christ has. As such it has a restrictive function. For world see comments on 2.15, meaning (2).

Quoted with permission from Haas, C., de Jonge, M. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on The First Letter of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .