1 John 3
1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
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 Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just 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 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even 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 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.
Every one who is guilty of sin is also guilty of violating Law; for sin is the violation of Law.
5 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and no sin is in him.
And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
6 Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know 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 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Dear children, let no one lead you astray. The man who acts righteously is righteous, just as He is righteous.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil.
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 Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t 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 In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
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 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another—
For this is the Message you have heard from the beginning--that we are to love one another.
12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s 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 Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains 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 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining 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 love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
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 has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain 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 little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and 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 know that we are of the truth and persuade our hearts before him,
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 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
in whatever matters our hearts condemn us--because God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
21 Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness towards God;
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have perfect confidence towards God;
22 so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
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 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.
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 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave 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.
