Children of God
1 See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God's children—and so, in fact, we are. This is why the world does not know us: it has not known God. 2 My dear friends, we are now God's children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.
4 Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God's law, because sin is a breaking of the law. 5 You know that Christ appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him. 6 So everyone who lives in union with Christ does not continue to sin; but whoever continues to sin has never seen him or known him.
7 Let no one deceive you, my children! Whoever does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. 8 Whoever continues to sin belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for this very reason, to destroy what the Devil had done.
9 Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin. 10 Here is the clear difference between God's children and the Devil's children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God's children.
Love One Another
11 The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain; he belonged to the Evil One and murdered his own brother Abel. Why did Cain murder him? Because the things he himself did were wrong, and the things his brother did were right.
13 So do not be surprised, my friends, if the people of the world hate you. 14 We know that we have left death and come over into life; we know it because we love others. Those who do not love are still under the power of death. 15 Those who hate others are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life in them. 16 This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others! 17 If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? 18 My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
Courage before God
19 This, then, is how we will know that we belong to the truth; this is how we will be confident in God's presence. 20 If our conscience condemns us, we know that God is greater than our conscience and that he knows everything. 21 And so, my dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have courage in God's presence. 22 We receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 What he commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us. 24 Those who obey God's commands live in union with God and God lives in union with them. And because of the Spirit that God has given us we know that God lives in union with us.
1 Behold, what loue the Father hath giuen to vs, that we should be called the sonnes of God: for this cause this world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him. 2 Dearely beloued, nowe are we the sonnes of God, but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be: and we know that when he shalbe made manifest, we shalbe like him: for we shall see him as he is. 3 And euery man that hath this hope in him, purgeth himselfe, euen as he is pure. 4 Whosoeuer committeth sinne, transgresseth also the Law: for sinne is the transgression of the Lawe. 5 And ye knowe that hee was made manifest, that he might take away our sinnes, and in him is no sinne. 6 Whosoeuer abideth in him, sinneth not: whosoeuer sinneth, hath not seene him, neither hath knowen him. 7 Litle children, let no man deceiue you: he that doeth righteousnes, is righteous, as hee is righteous. 8 He that comitteth sinne, is of the deuil: for the deuill sinneth from the beginning: for this purpose was made manifest that Sonne of God, that he might loose the workes of the deuil. 9 Whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: for his seede remaineth in him, neither can hee sinne, because he is borne of God. 10 In this are the children of God knowen, and the children of the deuil: whosoeuer doeth not righteousnesse, is not of God, neither he that loueth not his brother. 11 For this is the message, that ye heard from the beginning, that we should loue one another, 12 Not as Cain which was of that wicked one, and slewe his brother: and wherefore slewe he him? because his owne workes were euill, and his brothers good. 13 Marueile not, my brethren, though this world hate you. 14 We know that we are translated from death vnto life, because we loue the brethren: he that loueth not his brother, abideth in death. 15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a manslayer: and ye know that no manslayer hath eternall life abiding in him. 16 Hereby haue we perceiued loue, that he layde downe his life for vs: therefore we ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren. 17 And whosoeuer hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother haue neede, and shutteth vp his compassion from him, howe dwelleth the loue of God in him? 18 My litle children, let vs not loue in worde, neither in tongue onely, but in deede and in trueth. 19 For thereby we know that we are of the trueth, and shall before him assure our hearts. 20 For if our heart condemne vs, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloued, if our heart condemne vs not, then haue we boldnes toward God. 22 And whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him, because we keepe his commandements, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. 23 This is then his commandement, That we beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ, and loue one another as hee gaue commandement. 24 For hee that keepeth his commandements, dwelleth in him, and he in him: and hereby we knowe that hee abideth in vs, euen by that Spirit which he hath giuen vs.