3
1 See
how great a love
the Father has
given to us,
that we should
be called children
of God! For
this cause the
world doesn’t know
us, because
it didn’t know
him.
2 Beloved, now
we are children
of God. It
is not yet
revealed what we
will be; but
we know that
when he is
revealed, we will
be like him,
for we will
see him just
as he is.
3 Everyone
who has this
hope set on
him purifies himself,
even as he
is pure.
4 Everyone
who sins also
commits lawlessness. Sin
is lawlessness.
5 You
know that he
was revealed to
take away our sins,
and no sin is
in him.
6 Whoever
remains in
him doesn’t sin.
Whoever sins hasn’t
seen him
and doesn’t know
him.
7 Little
children, let no
one lead you
astray. He who
does righteousness
is righteous, even
as he is
righteous.
8 He
who sins is of
the devil, for
the devil has
been sinning from
the beginning. To
this end the
Son of God
was revealed: that
he might destroy
the works of
the devil.
9 Whoever
is born of
God doesn’t
commit sin, because
his seed remains
in him, and
he can’t sin,
because he is
born of God.
10 In
this the children
of God are
revealed, and the
children of the
devil. Whoever doesn’t
do righteousness
is not of
God, neither is
he who doesn’t love
his brother.
11 For
this is the message
which you heard
from the beginning,
that we should love
one another—
12 unlike Cain,
who was of
the evil one
and killed his brother.
Why did he
kill him? Because
his deeds were
evil, and
his brother’s righteous.
13 Don’t
be surprised,
my brothers, if
the world hates
you.
14 We
know that we
have passed out
of death into
life, because
we love the brothers.
He who doesn’t love
his brother remains
in death.
15 Whoever
hates his brother
is a murderer, and
you know that
no murderer has eternal
life remaining in
him.
16 By
this we know love,
because he laid
down his life
for us. And
we ought to
lay down our
lives for
the brothers.
17 But
whoever has the
world’s goods and
sees his brother
in need, then
closes his heart
of compassion
against him, how
does God’s love
remain in him?
18 My
little children,
let’s not love in
word only, or
with the tongue
only, but in
deed and truth.
19 And
by this we
know that we
are of the truth
and persuade our
hearts before him,
20 because
if our heart
condemns us, God
is greater than
our heart, and
knows all things.
21 Beloved, if
our hearts don’t
condemn us, we
have boldness
toward God;
22 so
whatever we ask,
we receive from
him, because we
keep his
commandments and
do the things
that are pleasing
in his sight.
23 This
is his commandment,
that we should
believe in the
name of his
Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one
another, even as
he commanded.
24 He
who keeps his
commandments remains
in him, and
he in him.
By this we
know that he
remains in us,
by the Spirit
which he gave
us.