1 Vaadake, millise armastuse on Isa meile andnud, et meid kutsutaks Jumala lasteks! Ja need me olemegi! Maailm ei tunne meid, sest ta ei tunne ka teda. 2 Armsad, me oleme nüüd Jumala lapsed, aga veel ei ole saanud avalikuks, kes me üks kord oleme. Me teame, et kui Kristus ilmub, oleme tema sarnased, sest me näeme teda nagu tema on. 3 Ja igaüks, kellel on selline lootus Kristuse peale, puhastab ennast, nagu tema on puhas.

4 Igaüks, kes teeb pattu, rikub seadust. Patt on seaduserikkumine. 5 Te teate, et Kristus on tulnud patte ära võtma ning temas endas ei ole pattu. 6 Ükski, kes jääb temasse, ei tee pattu. Ükski, kes teeb pattu edasi, ei ole näinud ega mõistnud teda.

7 Lapsed, ärge laske kellelgi end petta! Kes teeb õigust, on õige, nagu Kristus on õige. 8 Kes teeb pattu, on kuradist, sest kurat teeb pattu algusest peale. Jumala Poeg tuli selleks, et hävitada kuradi teod. 9 Ükski, kes on sündinud Jumalast, ei tee pattu, sest Jumala seeme jääb temasse. Ta ei saa enam teha pattu, sest ta on sündinud Jumalast. 10 Nii me teame, kes on Jumala lapsed ja kes on kuradi lapsed. Ükski, kes ei tee õigust, ei ole Jumalast, ega ka see, kes ei armasta oma venda.

11 See ongi sõnum, mida te olete algusest peale kuulnud, et me peame üksteist armastama! 12 Mitte nii nagu Kain, kes oli kurjast ja lõi maha oma venna. Ja mispärast ta lõi tema maha? Sellepärast, et tema enda teod olid kurjad, aga tema venna teod õiged. 13 Ärge imestage, vennad ja õed, kui maailm teid vihkab. 14 Me teame, et oleme astunud surmast ellu, sest me armastame üksteist. Kes ei armasta, see jääb surma. 15 Igaüks, kes vihkab venda või õde, on mõrvar, ja te teate, et ühelgi mõrvaril ei ole igavest elu.

16 Sellest me oleme ära tundnud Kristuse armastuse, et tema on oma elu meie eest andnud. Ja meiegi peame andma oma elu vendade ja õdede eest. 17 Kui aga kellelgi on selle maailma vara ja ta näeb oma venna olevat puuduses ning suleb oma südame tema eest, siis kuidas saab Jumala armastus temas püsida?

18 Lapsed, ärgem armastagem sõnade ja kõnega, vaid tegude ja tõega!

19 Sellest me teame, et oleme pärit tõe seest ja Jumala ees on meil südamerahu. 20 Et kui meie süda meid süüdistab, Jumal on suurem kui meie süda ja tema teab kõike. 21 Armsad, kui meie süda meid ei süüdista, on meil julgus Jumala ees 22 ja mida me iganes palume, me saame temalt, sest me peame tema käske ja teeme, mis on talle meelepärane. 23 Ja see on tema käsk: uskuda tema Poja Jeesuse Kristuse nimesse ja armastada üksteist, nii nagu tema meid on käskinud. 24 Ja kes peab tema käske, püsib Jumalas ja Jumal temas. Ja sellest me tunneme ära, et tema püsib meis, Vaimust, kelle ta meile on andnud.

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.