1 M irad qué amor tan sublime nos ha dado el Padre, para que seamos llamados hijos de Dios; por esto el mundo no nos conoce, porque no le conoció a él.

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 A mados, ahora somos hijos de Dios, y aún no se ha manifestado lo que hemos de ser; pero sabemos que cuando él se manifieste, seremos semejantes a él, porque le veremos tal como él es.

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 Y todo aquel que tiene esta esperanza puesta en él, se purifica a sí mismo, así como él es puro.

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

4 T odo aquel que comete pecado, infringe también la ley; pues el pecado es infracción de la ley.

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 sabéis que él se manifestó para quitar nuestros pecados, y no hay pecado en él.

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 odo aquel que permanece en él, no continúa pecando; todo aquel que continúa pecando, no le ha visto, ni le ha conocido.

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 H ijitos, nadie os engañe; el que practica la justicia es justo, como él es justo.

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

8 E l que practica el pecado es del diablo; porque el diablo peca desde el principio. Para esto se manifestó el Hijo de Dios, para deshacer las obras del diablo.

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 T odo aquel que es nacido de Dios, no practica el pecado, porque la simiente de Dios permanece en él; y no puede pecar, porque es nacido de Dios.

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 E n esto se manifiestan los hijos de Dios, y los hijos del diablo: todo aquel que no practica justicia, no es de Dios, y tampoco el que no ama a su hermano.

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 P orque este es el mensaje que habéis oído desde el principio: Que nos amemos unos a otros.

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

12 N o como Caín, que era del maligno y mató a su hermano. ¿Y por qué causa le mató? Porque sus obras eran malas, y las de su hermano justas.

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 H ermanos míos, no os extrañéis si el mundo os aborrece.

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

14 N osotros sabemos que hemos pasado de la muerte a la vida, en que amamos a los hermanos. El que no ama a su hermano, permanece en la muerte.

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 T odo aquel que aborrece a su hermano es homicida; y sabéis que ningún homicida tiene vida eterna permanente en él.

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

16 E n esto hemos conocido el amor, en que él puso su vida por nosotros; también nosotros debemos poner nuestras vidas por los hermanos.

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 P ero el que tiene bienes de este mundo y ve a su hermano tener necesidad, y cierra contra él su corazón, ¿cómo mora el amor de Dios en él?

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 H ijitos míos, no amemos de palabra ni de lengua, sino de hecho y en verdad.

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

19 Y en esto conocemos que somos de la verdad, y aseguraremos nuestros corazones delante de él;

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 p ues si nuestro corazón nos reprocha algo, mayor que nuestro corazón es Dios, y él conoce todas las cosas.

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 A mados, si nuestro corazón no nos reprocha algo, tenemos confianza ante Dios;

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

22 y lo que le pidamos, lo recibimos de él, porque guardamos sus mandamientos, y hacemos las cosas que son agradables delante de él.

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

23 Y este es su mandamiento: Que creamos en el nombre de su Hijo Jesucristo, y nos amemos unos a otros como nos lo ha mandado.

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 Y el que guarda sus mandamientos, permanece en Dios, y Dios en él. Y en esto conocemos que él permanece en nosotros, por el Espíritu que nos ha dado.

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.