1 S ee what great love the Father has for us that He would call us His children. And that is what we are. For this reason the people of the world do not know who we are because they did not know Him.

See what '> an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.

2 D ear friends, we are God’s children now. But it has not yet been shown to us what we are going to be. We know that when He comes again, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is.

Beloved, we are now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be, but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall '> as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He is.

3 T he person who is looking for this to happen will keep himself pure because Christ is pure.

And everyone who has this hope on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).

4 T he person who keeps on sinning is guilty of not obeying the Law of God. For sin is breaking the Law of God.

Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God’s law by transgression or neglect—being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will).

5 Y ou know that Christ came to take away our sins. There is no sin in Him.

You know that He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin '> essentially and forever].

6 T he person who lives by the help of Christ does not keep on sinning. The person who keeps on sinning has not seen Him or has not known Him.

No one who abides in Him '> in communion with and in obedience to Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] commits (practices) sin. No one who sins has either seen or known Him.

7 M y children, let no one lead you in the wrong way. The man who does what is right, is right with God in the same way as Christ is right with God.

Boys (lads), let no one deceive and lead you astray. He who practices righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.

8 T he person who keeps on sinning belongs to the devil. The devil has sinned from the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

he who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil.

9 N o person who has become a child of God keeps on sinning. This is because the Holy Spirit is in him. He cannot keep on sinning because God is his Father.

No one born (begotten) of God '> habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.

10 T his is the way you can know who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. The person who does not keep on doing what is right and does not love his brother does not belong to God.

By this it is made clear who take their nature from God and are His children and who take their nature from the devil and are his children: no one who does not practice righteousness is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother (his fellow believer in Christ).

11 T his is what you have heard from the beginning, that we should love each other.

For this is the message (the announcement) which you have heard from the first, that we should love one another,

12 D o not be like Cain. He was a child of the devil and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? It was because he did what was sinful and his brother did what was right.

not be like Cain who from the evil one and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his deeds (activities, works) were wicked and malicious and his brother’s were righteous (virtuous).

13 D o not be surprised if the world hates you, Christian brothers.

Do not be surprised and wonder, brethren, that the world detests and pursues you with hatred.

14 W e know we have passed from death into life. We know this because we love the Christians. The person who does not love has not passed from death into life.

We know that we have passed over out of death into Life by the fact that we love the brethren (our fellow Christians). He who does not love abides (remains, is held and kept continually) in death.

15 A man who hates his brother is a killer in his heart. You know that life which lasts forever is not in one who kills.

Anyone who hates (abominates, detests) his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding ( persevering) within him.

16 W e know what love is because Christ gave His life for us. We should give our lives for our brothers.

By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the love: that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay lives down for brothers '> in Him].

17 W hat if a person has enough money to live on and sees his brother in need of food and clothing? If he does not help him, how can the love of God be in him?

But if anyone has this world’s goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him?

18 M y children, let us not love with words or in talk only. Let us love by what we do and in truth.

Little children, let us not love in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity).

19 T his is how we know we are Christians. It will give our heart comfort for sure when we stand before Him.

By this we shall come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we are of the Truth, and can reassure (quiet, conciliate, and pacify) our hearts in His presence,

20 O ur heart may say that we have done wrong. But remember, God is greater than our heart. He knows everything.

Whenever our hearts in '> tormenting] self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us. '> we are in God’s hands.] For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows (perceives and understands) everything.

21 D ear friends, if our heart does not say that we are wrong, we will have no fear as we stand before Him.

And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us, we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God,

22 W e will receive from Him whatever we ask if we obey Him and do what He wants.

And we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we '> watchfully] obey His orders and '> habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him.

23 T his is what He said we must do: Put your trust in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love each other. Christ told us to do this.

And this is His order (His command, His injunction): that we should believe in (put our faith and trust in and adhere to and rely on) the name of His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and that we should love one another, just as He has commanded us.

24 T he person who obeys Christ lives by the help of God and God lives in him. We know He lives in us by the Holy Spirit He has given us.

All who keep His commandments abide in Him, and He in them. '> They let Christ be a home to them and they are the home of Christ.] And by this we know and understand and have the proof that He lives and makes His home in us: by the Spirit Whom He has given us.