teknion is a plural direct address to recipients as children, used in instruction, warning, and assurance.

The attested use is a plural vocative address to a group as children, occurring before instruction, warning, assurance, and statements of continued communication. The same address introduces appeals not to sin or be deceived, calls to remain and to guard themselves, and assurances about forgiveness and overcoming.

1. Direct address to a group as children · dominant

   In 1 John 2:1, the vocative plural form introduces writing intended to keep its recipients from sinning; in 1 John 3:7 it introduces the warning, “let no one deceive you.” The same form precedes calls to remain in 1 John 2:28, to love in deed in 1 John 3:18, and to guard themselves from idols in 1 John 5:21; in 1 John 2:12 and 1 John 4:4, the APB places the address with assurances of forgiveness and overcoming.

   1 John 2:11 John 2:121 John 2:281 John 3:181 John 3:71 John 5:21

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the vocative address as both “little children” and “children” across the supplied verses. Those English variations show its presentation of the clauses rather than separate lexical uses.