1 S ee 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 B eloved, now we are children of God, and 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 E veryone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

4 E veryone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

5 Y ou know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.

6 W hoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him.

7 L ittle children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 H e 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 W hoever 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 I n 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 F or this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

12 u nlike 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 D on’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

14 W e 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 W hoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

16 B y this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

17 B ut whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?

18 M y little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

19 A nd by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,

20 b ecause if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

21 B eloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;

22 a nd whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 T his is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.

24 H e 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.