1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God l For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it hath not yet been manifested what we shall be. We know that, when it shall be manifested, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is.
3 And every one that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.
4 Whoever committeth sin transgresseth thereby the law; for sin is a transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whoever abideth in him sinneth not; whoever sinneth hath not seen him, nor known him.
7 My children, let no one deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He 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.
9 Whoever hath been born of God doth not commit sin, because his seed abideth in him; and he cannot sin, because he hath been born of God.
10 In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the Devil. Whoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, and he that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
12 not as Cain was of the Evil One, and slew his brother. And wherefore did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous.
13 Wonder not, brethren, if the world hateth you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren; he that loveth not abideth in death.
15 Whoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath everlasting life abiding in him.
16 Herein we know love, in that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoever hath this worlds goods, and seeth his brother having need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him;
20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have confidence toward God;
22 and whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and should love one another, as he gave commandment.
24 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.