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 你们看, 父赐给我们的是怎样的爱, 就是让我们可以称为 神的儿女, 我们也真是他的儿女。因此, 世人不认识我们, 是因为他们不认识父。

2 亲爱的, 现在我们是 神的儿女, 将来怎样, 还没有显明; 然而我们知道: 主若显现, 我们必要像他, 因为我们必要看见他本来是怎样的。

3 凡对他存着这盼望的, 就洁净自己, 像他一样的洁净。

4 凡是犯罪的, 就是作了不法的事; 罪就是不法。

5 你们知道主曾经显现, 为要除掉罪, 他自己却没有罪。

6 凡是住在他里面的, 就不犯罪; 凡犯罪的, 是未曾见过他, 也不认识他。

7 孩子们, 不要受人欺骗, 行义的才是义人, 正如主是公义的。

8 犯罪的是出于魔鬼, 因为魔鬼从起初就犯罪。因此, 神的儿子显现了, 是要除灭魔鬼的作为。

9 凡是从 神生的, 就不犯罪, 因为 神的生命在他里面; 他也不能犯罪, 因为他是从 神生的。

10 这样, 谁是 神的儿女, 谁是魔鬼的儿女, 就很明显了。凡不行义的, 就不是出于 神, 不爱弟兄的, 也是这样。

11 我们应当彼此相爱, 因为这是你们从起初听见的信息。

12 不要像该隐, 他是属于那恶者的, 他又杀了自己的弟弟。为什么杀他呢?因为他自己的行为是恶的, 弟弟的行为是义的。

13 弟兄们, 世人若恨你们, 不要希奇。

14 我们因为爱弟兄, 就知道我们已经出死入生了; 不爱弟兄的, 仍然住在死中。

15 凡恨弟兄的, 就是杀人的。你们知道, 杀人的在他里面没有永生。

16 主为我们舍命, 这样, 我们就知道什么是爱; 我们也应当为弟兄舍命。

17 凡有世上财物的, 看见弟兄穷乏, 却硬着心肠不理, 他怎能说他心里有 神的爱呢?

18 孩子们, 我们爱人, 不要只在言语和舌头上, 总要在行动和真诚上表现出来。

19 这样, 我们就知道我们是属于真理的。即使我们的心责备我们, 在 神面前我们也可以心安理得, 因为他比我们的心大, 他知道一切。

21 亲爱的, 我们的心若不责备我们, 在 神面前我们就可以坦然无惧了。

22 凡我们所求的, 就必从他得着, 因为我们遵守他的命令, 作他所喜悦的事。

23 神的命令, 就是要我们信他的儿子耶稣基督的名, 并且照着他的吩咐彼此相爱。

24 凡是遵守 神命令的, 就住在 神里面, 神也住在他里面。凭着 神所赐给我们的圣灵, 我们就可以知道 神住在我们里面。