1 John 3

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.

See how great a sincere love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God! Because the world didn’t know Him, it doesn’t know us.

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.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it hasn’t yet appeared what we will be. We know that when He appears we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

3 And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

4 Every one that practises sin practises also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness. 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.

You know that He appeared to take away sins. There is no sin in Him.

6 Whoever abides in him, does not sin: whoever sins, has not seen him or known him.

No one who lives in Him sins. No one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.

7 Children, let no man lead you astray; he that practises righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

Little children, don’t let anybody deceive you. The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just 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.

The one who practices sin is the Devil’s, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy 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.

No one who is born of God practices sin, because God’s seed lives in him. He can’t continue to sin, because he is born 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.

By this the children of God and the children of the Devil are obvious: anyone who doesn’t practice righteousness is not God’s, and neither is anyone who doesn’t sincerely love his brother or sister.

11 For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should sincerely 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.

Don’t be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because Cain’s deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not wonder, brethren, if the world hate you.

Don’t be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates 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.

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we sincerely love our brothers and sisters. Whoever doesn’t sincerely love lives in death.

15 Every one that hates his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (aiōnios g166)

Whoever hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life living in him. (aiōnios g166)

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.

By this we know God’s sincere love, because He laid down His life for us. So we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

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?

If someone has this world’s goods, and sees a brother in need, and closes up his heart of compassion from him, how does God’s sincere love live in him?

18 Children, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth.

My little children, let’s not sincerely love just in words or in language, 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 —

This is how we will know that we belong to the truth, and how we will assure our hearts before Him

20 that if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness towards God,

Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before 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.

and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do the things that please Him.

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.

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

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.

Whoever keeps His commandments lives in Him, and He lives in that person. This is how we know that He lives in us: by the Spirit He has given us.