1 John 3

1 And ye see, how great is the love of the Father towards us, who hath called us sons, and made us such. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it likewise knoweth him not.

See what marvellous love the Father has bestowed upon us--that we should be called God's children: and that is what we are. For this reason the world does not recognize us--because it has not known Him.

2 My beloved, now are we the sons of God; and hitherto, it hath not appeared what we are to be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be in his likeness, and we shall see him as he is.

Dear friends, we are now God's children, but what we are to be in the future has not yet been fully revealed. We know that if Christ reappears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.

3 And every one that hath this hope from him, purifieth himself, as he is pure.

And every man who has this hope fixed on Him, purifies himself so as to be as pure as He is.

4 And every one that practiseth sin, perpetrateth iniquity; for all sin is iniquity.

Every one who is guilty of sin is also guilty of violating Law; for sin is the violation of Law.

5 And ye know, that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him was no sin.

And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

6 And every one that abideth in him, sinneth not: and every one that sinneth, hath not seen him, nor hath known him.

No one who continues in union with Him lives in sin: no one who lives in sin has seen Him or knows Him.

7 My children, let no one deceive you: he that doeth righteousness, is righteous, as the Messiah also is righteous.

Dear children, let no one lead you astray. The man who acts righteously is righteous, just as He is righteous.

8 And he that committeth sin, is of Satan; because Satan was a sinner from the beginning: and for this cause, the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of Satan.

He who is habitually guilty of sin is a child of the Devil, because the Devil has been a sinner from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for the purpose of undoing the work of the Devil.

9 Every one that is born of God, doth not practise sin; because his seed is in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

No one who is a child of God is habitually guilty of sin. A God-given germ of life remains in him, and he cannot habitually sin--because he is a child of God.

10 By this are the children of God discriminated from the children of Satan. Every one that practiseth not righteousness, and that loveth not his brother, is not of God:

By this we can distinguish God's children and the Devil's children: no one who fails to act righteously is a child of God, nor he who does not love his brother man.

11 because this is the commandment, which ye heard from the beginning, that ye should love one another.

For this is the Message you have heard from the beginning--that we are to love one another.

12 Not like Cain, who was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And why did he slay him, but because his own works were evil, and those of his brother righteous?

We are not to resemble Cain, who was a child of the Evil one and killed his own brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's actions righteous.

13 And wonder not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

14 We know that we have turned from death unto life, by this, that we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, remaineth in death.

As for us, we know that we have already passed out of death into Life--because we love our brother men. He who is destitute of love continues dead.

15 For every one that hateth his brother, is a man-slayer; and ye know, that no man-slayer can have eternal life abiding in him. (aiōnios g166)

Every one who hates his brother man is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has the Life of the Ages continuing in him. (aiōnios g166)

16 By this we know his love towards us, because he gave up his life for us: and we also ought to give up our lives for our brethren.

We know what love is--through Christ's having laid down His life on our behalf; and in the same way we ought to lay down our lives for our brother men.

17 But whoever hath worldly possessions, and seeth his brother in want, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how is the love of God in him?

But if any one has this world's wealth and sees that his brother man is in need, and yet hardens his heart against him--how can such a one continue to love God?

18 My children, let us not love one another in words and in tongue, but in acts and in truth.

Dear children, let us not love in words only nor with the lips, but in deed and in truth.

19 And by this, we recognize that we are of the truth; and, before he shall come, we make our hearts confident.

And in this way we shall come to know that we are loyal to the truth, and shall satisfy our consciences in His presence

20 But if our heart condemneth us, how much greater is God than our heart, and knowing all things?

in whatever matters our hearts condemn us--because God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

21 My beloved, if our heart condemneth us not, we have open countenances before God.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have perfect confidence towards God;

22 And whatever we ask, we receive from him; because we keep his commandments, and do acceptable things before him.

and whatever we ask for we obtain from Him, because we obey His commands and do the things which are pleasing in His sight.

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus the Messiah, and that we love one another as he hath commanded us.

And this is His command--that we are to believe in His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us to do.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments, is kept by him, and he dwelleth in him: and by this we understand that he abideth in us, from his Spirit which he hath given to us.

The man who obeys His commands continues in union with God, and God continues in union with him; and through His Spirit whom He has given us we can know that He continues in union with us.