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 toward 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.

1 Behold, what charity the Father has given us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world does not know us, because it does not know him.

2 Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be; but we know that if he shall appear, 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 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5 And ye know that he appeared to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.

6 Whosoever abides in him does not sin: whosoever sins has not seen him or known him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you; he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he also is righteous.

8 He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that he might undo the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the sons of God are manifest, and the sons of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness and that loves not his brother is not of God.

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 the wicked one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.

14 We know that we are passed from death unto life, in that we love the brethren. He that does not love [his] brother abides in death.

15 Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 In this we have known the charity [of God] because he laid down his life for us; we also ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.

17 But whosoever has this world's goods and sees his brother have need and shuts up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how does the charity of God abide in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

19 And in this we know that we are of the truth and have our hearts certified before him.

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

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, [then] we have confidence in 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 has commanded us.

24 And he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.: