^{1 Ref} See what great love the Father has given us in naming us the children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not see who we are, because it did not see who he was.

^{2 Ref} My loved ones, now we are children of God, and at present it is not clear what we are to be. We are certain that at his revelation we will be like him; for we will see him as he is.

^{3 Ref} And everyone who has this hope in him makes himself holy, even as he is holy.

^{4 Ref} Everyone who is a sinner goes against the law, for sin is going against the law.

^{5 Ref} And you have knowledge that he came to take away sin: and in him there is no sin.

^{6 Ref} Anyone who is in him does no sin; anyone who is a sinner has not seen him and has no knowledge of him.

^{7 Ref} My little children, let no man take you out of the true way: he who does righteousness is upright, even as he is upright;

^{8 Ref} The sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first. And the Son of God was seen on earth so that he might put an end to the works of the Evil One.

^{9 Ref} Anyone who is a child of God does no sin, because he still has God's seed in him; he is not able to be a sinner, because God is his Father.

^{10 Ref} In this way it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the Evil One; anyone who does not do righteousness or who has no love for his brother, is not a child of God.

^{11 Ref} Because this is the word which was given to you from the first, that we are to have love for one another;

^{12 Ref} Not being of the Evil One like Cain, who put his brother to death. And why did he put him to death? Because his works were evil and his brother's works were good.

^{13 Ref} Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world has no love for you.

^{14 Ref} We are conscious that we have come out of death into life because of our love for the brothers. He who has no love is still in death.

^{15 Ref} Anyone who has hate for his brother is a taker of life, and you may be certain that no taker of life has eternal life in him.

^{16 Ref} In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.

^{17 Ref} But if a man has this world's goods, and sees that his brother is in need, and keeps his heart shut against his brother, how is it possible for the love of God to be in him?

^{18 Ref} My little children, do not let our love be in word and in tongue, but let it be in act and in good faith.

^{19 Ref} In this way we may be certain that we are true, and may give our heart comfort before him,

^{20 Ref} When our heart says that we have done wrong; because God is greater than our heart, and has knowledge of all things.

^{21 Ref} My loved ones, if our heart does not say that we have done wrong, we have no fear before him;

^{22 Ref} And he gives us all our requests, because we keep his laws and do the things which are pleasing in his eyes.

^{23 Ref} And this is his law, that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love for one another, even as he said to us.

^{24 Ref} He who keeps his laws is in God and God is in him. And the Spirit which he gave us is our witness that he is in us.

^{1 Ref} Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him.

^{2 Ref} Beloved, now we are children of God, and 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.

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

^{4 Ref} Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

^{5 Ref} You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.

^{6 Ref} Whoever remains in him doesn't sin. Whoever sins hasn't seen him, neither knows him.

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

^{8 Ref} 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.

^{9 Ref} 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.

^{10 Ref} 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.

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

^{12 Ref} unlike 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.

^{13 Ref} Don't be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

^{14 Ref} 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.

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

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

^{17 Ref} But 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?

^{18 Ref} My little children, let's not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

^{19 Ref} And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,

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

^{21 Ref} Beloved, if our hearts don't condemn us, we have boldness toward God;

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

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

^{24 Ref} 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.

^{1 Ref} Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and `such' we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

^{2 Ref} Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.

^{3 Ref} And every one that hath this hope `set' on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

^{4 Ref} Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

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

^{6 Ref} Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.

^{7 Ref} `My' little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:

^{8 Ref} he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

^{9 Ref} Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.

^{10 Ref} In 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.

^{11 Ref} For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:

^{12 Ref} not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

^{13 Ref} Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.

^{14 Ref} We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

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

^{16 Ref} Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

^{17 Ref} But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?

^{18 Ref} `My' Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.

^{19 Ref} Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him:

^{20 Ref} because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

^{21 Ref} Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;

^{22 Ref} and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

^{23 Ref} And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.

^{24 Ref} And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.