I John 3

¹Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world does not know us, because it did not know him.

²Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. We know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.

³Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

⁴Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

⁵You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him is no sin.

⁶Whoever remains in him does not sin. Whoever sins hasn't seen him, neither knows him.

⁷Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

⁸He 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.

⁹Whoever is born of God does not commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

¹⁰In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever does not do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who does not love his brother.

¹¹For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

¹²unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

¹³Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

¹⁴We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love remains in death.

¹⁵Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

¹⁶By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

¹⁷But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?

¹⁸Little children, let us not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

¹⁹And by this we will know that we are of the truth, and persuade our heart before him,

²⁰because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

²¹Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness toward God;

²²and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

²³This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded us.

²⁴He 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.

I John 3

¹Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

³And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

⁴Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

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

⁶Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

⁷Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

⁸He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

⁹Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

¹⁰In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

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

¹²Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

¹³Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

¹⁴We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

¹⁵Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

¹⁷But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

¹⁸My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

²⁰For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

²¹Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

²²And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

²³And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

²⁴And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.