1 John 3
1 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.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us: he lets us be called God’s children! For that is what we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him.
2 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.
Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is that, when it is revealed, we will be like him, because we will see him as he is.
3 And every man who has this hope fixed on Him, purifies himself so as to be as pure as He is.
And just as he is pure, everyone who has this hope, makes and keeps themselves pure.
4 Every one who is guilty of sin is also guilty of violating Law; for sin is the violation of Law.
Everyone who lives sinfully is living in violation of God’s law. Sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
You know that Christ appeared to take away our sins and that there is no sin in him.
6 No one who continues in union with Him lives in sin: no one who lives in sin has seen Him or knows Him.
No one who lives in him continues to sin; the sinner has not seen or known him.
7 Dear children, let no one lead you astray. The man who acts righteously is righteous, just as He is righteous.
My children, don’t let anyone mislead you. The person who does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
8 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.
The person who lives in sin is a child of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To undo the devil’s work is the reason the Son of God appeared.
9 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.
No child of God sins, because God’s nature dwells in them. They can’t live in sin, because they are God’s children.
10 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.
By this it is made clear who are the children of God and who are the devil’s: anyone who doesn’t do what is right or doesn’t love others is not a child of God.
11 For this is the Message you have heard from the beginning--that we are to love one another.
For this is the message we heard from the beginning: we are to love one another.
12 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.
We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his actions were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.
Do not be suprised, friends, if the world hates you.
14 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.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love each other. The person who does not love remains in a state of death.
15 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)
The person who hates another is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life dwelling within them. (aiōnios g166)
16 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.
This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. So we should lay down our own lives for each other.
17 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?
If anyone has material possessions, and sees one of our own in need, but closes their heart against that person, how can it be said that the love of God is within them?
18 Dear children, let us not love in words only nor with the lips, but in deed and in truth.
My children, our love must not be mere words or talk. It must be true and show itself in actions.
19 And in this way we shall come to know that we are loyal to the truth, and shall satisfy our consciences in His presence
This is how we will know we belong to the truth and reassure ourselves in God’s presence:
20 in whatever matters our hearts condemn us--because God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
though our conscience condemns us, God is greater than our conscience and knows everything.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have perfect confidence towards God;
Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, then we approach God with confidence,
22 and whatever we ask for we obtain from Him, because we obey His commands and do the things which are pleasing in His sight.
and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we are keeping his commands, and are doing what pleases him.
23 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.
His command is that we should believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as Christ commanded us.
24 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.
The person who keeps his commands dwells in God and God dwells in them. And we are sure he lives in us because of the Spirit he has given us.
