1Seehow greata lovethe Fatherhas bestowedon us, that we would be calledchildrenof God;and [such] we are. For thisreasonthe worlddoes not knowus, becauseit did not knowHim.2Beloved,nowwe are childrenof God,and it has not appearedas yetwhatwe will be. We knowthat whenHe appears,we will be likeHim, becausewe will seeHim justas He is.3And everyonewho hasthishope[fixed] on Him purifieshimself,justas He is pure.
4Everyonewho practicessinalsopracticeslawlessness;and sinis lawlessness.5You knowthat He appearedin orderto take awaysins;and in Him there is nosin.6Noonewho abidesin Him sins;noonewho sinshas seenHim orknowsHim.7Little children,make sure no onedeceivesyou; the one who practicesrighteousnessis righteous,justas He is righteous;8the one who practicessinis of the devil;for the devilhas sinnedfrom the beginning.The Sonof Godappearedfor thispurpose, to destroythe worksof the devil.9Noonewho is bornof Godpracticessin,becauseHis seedabidesin him; and he cannotsin,becausehe is bornof God.10By thisthe childrenof Godand the childrenof the devilare obvious:anyonewho does not practicerighteousnessis not of God,northe one who does not lovehis brother.
11For thisis the messagewhichyou have heardfrom the beginning,that we should loveone another;12not as Cain,[who] was of the eviloneand slewhis brother.And for whatreasondid he slayhim? Becausehis deedswere evil,and his brother'swere righteous.
13Do not be surprised,brethren,ifthe worldhatesyou.14We knowthat we have passedout of deathinto life,becausewe lovethe brethren.He who does not loveabidesin death.15Everyonewho hateshis brotheris a murderer;and you knowthat nomurdererhaseternallifeabidingin him.16We knowloveby this,that He laiddownHis lifefor us; and we oughtto lay downour livesfor the brethren.17But whoeverhasthe world'sgoods,and seeshis brotherin needand closeshis heartagainsthim, howdoes the loveof Godabidein him?18Little children,let us not lovewith wordorwith tongue,but in deedand truth.19We will knowby thisthat we are of the truth,and will assureour heartbeforeHim20in whateverour heartcondemnsus; for Godis greaterthan our heartand knowsall things.21Beloved,ifour heartdoes not condemnus, we haveconfidencebeforeGod;22and whateverwe askwe receivefrom Him, becausewe keepHis commandmentsand dothe things that are pleasingin His sight.
23Thisis His commandment,that we believein the nameof His SonJesusChrist,and loveone another,justas He commandedus.24The one who keepsHis commandmentsabidesin Him, and He in him. We knowby thisthat He abidesin us, by the SpiritwhomHe has givenus.
