1 John 3

1 See what great love the Father has given us in naming us the children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not see who we are, because it did not see who he was.

Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

2 My loved ones, now we are children of God, and at present it is not clear what we are to be. We are certain that at his revelation we will be like him; for we will see him as he is.

Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

3 And everyone who has this hope in him makes himself holy, even as he is holy.

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.

4 Everyone who is a sinner goes against the law, for sin is going against the law.

Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.

5 And you have knowledge that he came to take away sin: and in him there is no sin.

But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.

6 Anyone who is in him does no sin; anyone who is a sinner has not seen him and has no knowledge of him.

No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.

7 My little children, let no man take you out of the true way: he who does righteousness is upright, even as he is upright;

Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.

8 The sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first. And the Son of God was seen on earth so that he might put an end to the works of the Evil One.

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

9 Anyone who is a child of God does no sin, because he still has God's seed in him; he is not able to be a sinner, because God is his Father.

Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

10 In this way it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the Evil One; anyone who does not do righteousness or who has no love for his brother, is not a child of God.

By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

11 Because this is the word which was given to you from the first, that we are to have love for one another;

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

12 Not being of the Evil One like Cain, who put his brother to death. And why did he put him to death? Because his works were evil and his brother's works were good.

Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world has no love for you.

So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

14 We are conscious that we have come out of death into life because of our love for the brothers. He who has no love is still in death.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

15 Anyone who has hate for his brother is a taker of life, and you may be certain that no taker of life has eternal life in him. (aiōnios g166)

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer. (aiōnios g166)

16 In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.

By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

17 But if a man has this world's goods, and sees that his brother is in need, and keeps his heart shut against his brother, how is it possible for the love of God to be in him?

If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, do not let our love be in word and in tongue, but let it be in act and in good faith.

Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

19 In this way we may be certain that we are true, and may give our heart comfort before him,

And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:

20 When our heart says that we have done wrong; because God is greater than our heart, and has knowledge of all things.

Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.

21 My loved ones, if our heart does not say that we have done wrong, we have no fear before him;

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,

22 And he gives us all our requests, because we keep his laws and do the things which are pleasing in his eyes.

and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

23 And this is his law, that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love for one another, even as he said to us.

And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.

24 He who keeps his laws is in God and God is in him. And the Spirit which he gave us is our witness that he is in us.

Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.