1 Behold what love the father hath showed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. For this cause the world knoweth you not; because it knoweth not him.
2 Dearly beloved, now are we the sons of God, and yet it doth not appear what we shall be. But we know that when it shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him, purgeth himself, even as he is pure.
4 All that commit sin, committeth unrighteousness also, for sin is unrighteousness.
5 And ye know that he appeared to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.
6 All that abide in him, sin not: And all that sin hath not seen him, neither hath known him.
7 Little children, let no man beguile you; He that worketh righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth since the beginning. But for this cause appeared the son of God, even to destroy the works of the devil.
9 All that are born of God do no sin, for his seed abideth in them, and they cannot sin, because they be born of God.
10 And hereby are the sons of God known, and also the sons of the devil. All that work not righteousness, are not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the tidings, that ye heard at the beginning, that we should love one another:
12 and not be as Cain, which was of the devil and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? For his own deeds were evil, and his brother's righteous.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, though the world hate you.
14 We know that we are translated from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother, is a man slayer. And ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby are we assured of love: because he left his life for us: And therefore we ought also to give our lives for our brethren.
17 He, then, that hath the substance of the world, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him: how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, nor with the tongue: but with the deed, and of a truth:
19 for thereby we know that we be of the truth, and so shall we certify our hearts in his sight.
20 But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things.
21 Dearly beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have we trust to God ward;
22 and whatsoever we ask, that we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And thereby we know that there dwelleth in us of his spirit, which he gave us.