1 See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called {the} children of God. For this reason the world knows us not, because it knew him not.2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.3 And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as *he* is pure.4 Every one that practises sin practises also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.5 And ye know that *he* has been manifested that he might take away our sins; and in him sin is not.6 Whoever abides in him, does not sin: whoever sins, has not seen him or known him.7 Children, let no man lead you astray; he that practises righteousness is righteous, even as *he* is righteous.8 He that practises sin is of the devil; for from {the} beginning the devil sins. To this end the Son of God has been manifested, that he might undo the works of the devil.9 Whoever has been begotten of God does not practise sin, because his seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten of God.10 In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. Whoever does not practise righteousness is not of God, and he who does not love his brother.11 For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:12 not as Cain was of the wicked one, and slew his brother; and on account of what slew he him? because his works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous.13 Do not wonder, brethren, if the world hate you.14 *We* know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love {his} brother abides in death.15 Every one that hates his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.16 Hereby we have known love, because *he* has laid down his life for us; and *we* ought for the brethren to lay down {our} lives.17 But whoso may have the world's substance, and see his brother having need, and shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him?18 Children, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth.19 And hereby we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall persuade our hearts before him-20 that if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness towards God,22 and whatsoever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and practise the things which are pleasing in his sight.23 And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that we love one another, even as he has given us commandment.24 And he that keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given to us.

1 Kyk wat 'n groot liefde die Vader aan ons bewys het, dat ons kinders van God genoem kan word! Om hierdie rede ken die wêreld ons nie, omdat dit Hom nie geken het nie.2 Geliefdes, nou is ons kinders van God, en dit is nog nie geopenbaar wat ons sal wees nie; maar ons weet dat ons, as Hy verskyn, aan Hom gelyk sal wees, omdat ons Hom sal sien soos Hy is.3 En elkeen wat hierdie hoop op Hom het, reinig homself soos Hy rein is.4 Elkeen wat die sonde doen, doen ook die wetteloosheid, want die sonde is wetteloosheid.5 En julle weet dat Hy verskyn het om ons sondes weg te neem, en geen sonde is in Hom nie.6 Elkeen wat in Hom bly, sondig nie. Elkeen wat sondig, het Hom nie gesien en Hom nie geken nie.7 My kinders, laat niemand julle mislei nie: wie die geregtigheid doen, is regverdig soos Hy regverdig is.8 Hy wat die sonde doen, is uit die duiwel, want die duiwel sondig van die begin af. Vir hierdie doel het die Seun van God verskyn, om die werke van die duiwel te verbreek.9 Elkeen wat uit God gebore is, doen geen sonde nie, omdat sy saad in hom bly; en hy kan nie sondig nie, want hy is uit God gebore.10 Hierin is die kinders van God en die kinders van die duiwel openbaar: elkeen wat die geregtigheid nie doen nie, is nie uit God nie, en hy ook wat sy broeder nie liefhet nie.11 Want dit is die boodskap wat julle van die begin af gehoor het, dat ons mekaar moet liefhê;12 nie soos Kain wat uit die Bose was en sy broer doodgeslaan het nie. En waarom het hy hom doodgeslaan? Omdat sy werke boos was en die van sy broer regverdig.13 Verwonder julle nie, my broeders, as die wêreld julle haat nie.14 Ons weet dat ons oorgegaan het uit die dood in die lewe, omdat ons die broeders liefhet. Hy wat sy broeder nie liefhet nie, bly in die dood.15 Elkeen wat sy broeder haat, is 'n moordenaar; en julle weet dat geen moordenaar die ewige lewe as iets blywends in hom het nie.16 Hieraan het ons die liefde leer ken, dat Hy sy lewe vir ons afgelê het; en ons behoort ons lewe vir die broeders af te lê.17 Maar wie die goed van die wêreld het en sy broeder sien gebrek ly en sy hart vir hom toesluit, hoe bly die liefde van God in hom?18 My kinders, laat ons nie liefhê met woorde of met die tong nie, maar met die daad en in waarheid.19 En hieraan weet ons dat ons uit die waarheid is; en ons sal ons harte voor Hom gerusstel,20 want as ons hart ons veroordeel, God is meer as ons hart, en Hy weet alles.21 Geliefdes, as ons hart ons nie veroordeel nie, dan het ons vrymoedigheid teenoor God;22 en wat ons ook al bid, ontvang ons van Hom, omdat ons sy gebooie bewaar en doen wat welgevallig is voor Hom.23 En dit is sy gebod, dat ons in die Naam van sy Seun, Jesus Christus, moet glo en mekaar liefhê soos Hy ons 'n gebod gegee het.24 En hy wat sy gebooie bewaar, bly in Hom, en Hy in hom. En hieraan weet ons dat Hy in ons bly aan die Gees wat Hy ons gegee het.