1 See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God! And we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 Everyone who remains in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not practice sin, because God's seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother's were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brothers and sisters. Whoever does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 By this we have come to know love: he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. 17 But if anyone has this world's goods, sees his brother in need, and closes his heart to him, how does the love of God remain in him?

18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth. 19 By this we will know that we are of the truth, and will reassure our heart before him, 20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God, 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in that person. And by this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit whom he gave us.