1 John 3
1 Think what love the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called ‘Children of God’; as indeed we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him.
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 Dear friends, we are God’s Children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is that, when it is revealed, we shall be like Christ; because we shall 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 every one who has this hope with regard to Christ tries to make himself pure — as Christ is pure.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.
4 Every one who lives sinfully is living in violation of Law. Sin is violation of Law.
Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that Christ appeared to take away our sins; and in him Sin has no place.
But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 No one who maintains union with him lives in sin; no one who lives in sin has ever really seen him or learned to know him.
No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.
7 My Children, do not let any one mislead you. He who lives righteously is righteous — as Christ is righteous.
Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
8 He who lives sinfully belongs to the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the first. It was for this that the Son of God appeared, that he might undo the Devil’s work.
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 No one who has received the new Life from God lives sinfully, because the very nature of God dwells within him; and he cannot live in sin, because he has received the new Life from God.
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 By this the Children of God are distinguished from the Children of the Devil — No one who lives unrighteously comes from God, and especially the man who does not love his Brother.
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 For these are the Tidings that we heard from the first — that we are to love one another.
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? It was because his life was bad while his brother’s was 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 wonder, Brothers, if the world hates you.
So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of Death into Life, because we love our Brothers. The man who does not love remains in a state of 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 Every one who hates his Brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has Immortal Life within 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 We have learned to know what love is from this — that Christ laid down his life on our behalf. Therefore we also ought to lay down our lives on behalf of our 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 any one has worldly possessions, and yet looks on while his Brother is in want, and steels his heart against him, how can it be said that the love of God is within 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 children, do not let our love be mere words, or end in talk; let it be true and show itself in acts.
Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
19 By that we shall know that we are on the side of the Truth; and we shall satisfy ourselves in God’s sight,
And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:
20 that if our conscience condemns us, yet God is greater than our conscience and knows everything.
Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.
21 Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, then we approach God with confidence,
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we are laying his commands to heart, and are doing what is pleasing in his sight.
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
23 His Command is this — that we should put our trust in the Name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, in accordance with the Command that he gave 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 And he who lays his commands to heart maintains union with Christ, and Christ with him. And by this we know that Christ maintains union with us — by our possession of the Spirit which he gave 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.
