{For} (hoti). The reason why God's commandments are not
heavy is the power that comes with the new birth from God.
{Whatsoever is begotten of God} (p(836e) to gegenn(886d)enon ek tou
theou). Neuter singular perfect passive participle of genna(935c)
rather than the masculine singular (verse  1 ) to express sharply
the universality of the principle (Rothe) as in  Joh 3:6,8  6:37,39 . {Overcometh the world} (
ik(8369) ton kosmon). Present
active indicative of 
ika(935c), a continuous victory because a
continuous struggle, "keeps on conquering the world" ("the sum of
all the forces antagonistic to the spiritual life," D. Smith).
{This is the victory} (haut(8820)estin h(8820)nik(885c)). For this form of
expression see  1:5  Joh 1:19 . Nik(885c) (victory, cf. 
ika(935c)),
old word, here alone in N.T., but the later form 
ikos in  Mt
12:20  1Co 15:54f.,57 . {That overcometh} (h(8820)nik(8873)asa). First
aorist active articular participle of 
ika(935c). The English cannot
reproduce the play on the word here. The aorist tense singles out
an individual experience when one believed or when one met
temptation with victory. Jesus won the victory over the world
( Joh 16:33 ) and God in us ( 1Jo 4:4 ) gives us the victory.
{Even our faith} (h(8820)pistis h(886d)(936e)). The only instance of
pistis in the Johannine Epistles (not in John's Gospel, though
in the Apocalypse). It is our faith in Jesus Christ as shown by
our confession (verse  1 ) and by our life (verse  2 ).