1 John 2:1

My little children

(τεκνια μου). Tender tone with this diminutive of τεκνον (child), again in 1 John 2:12; 1 John 3:18, but παιδια in 1 John 2:14. John is now an old man and regards his readers as his little children. That attitude is illustrated in the story of his visit to the robber to win him to Christ.That ye may not sin

(ινα μη αμαρτητε). Purpose (negative) clause with ινα μη and the second aorist (ingressive, commit sin) active subjunctive of αμαρτανω, to sin. John has no patience with professional perfectionists (1 John 1:8-10), but he has still less with loose-livers like some of the Gnostics who went to all sorts of excesses without shame.If any man sin

(εαν τις αμαρτη). Third-class condition with εαν and second aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive again, "if one commit sin."We have

(εχομεν). Present active indicative of εχω in the apodosis, a present reality like εχομεν in 2 Corinthians 5:1.An advocate

(παρακλητον). See on John 14:16; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7 for this word, nowhere else in the N.T. The Holy Spirit is God's Advocate on earth with men, while Christ is man's Advocate with the Father (the idea, but not the word, in Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 7:25). As δικαιος (righteous) Jesus is qualified to plead our case and to enter the Father's presence (Hebrews 2:18).