Chapter 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 towards 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 .