Living As Children Of God
1 Look at how much love the Father has shown to us [Christians], that we should be called His children! But, that is what we [really] are! The reason the people of the world do not know who we are is because they do not know who God [really] is.
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 See (a)(A)how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called (B)children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because (C)it did not know Him.
1 Look at how great a love(a) the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.
1 See what kind of love the Father has given us: We are called God's children and that is what we are! For this reason the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him, either.
2 Dearly loved ones, we are God's children now, but it has not yet been revealed [to us] what we will be [in the future life, Luke 20:34-36]. But, we do know this, however, that when Jesus is revealed [i.e., at His second coming], we will be like Him [I Cor. 15:49], for we will see what He really looks like!
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
2 (D)Beloved, now we are (E)children of God, and (F)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He (G)appears, we will be (H)like Him, because we will (I)see Him just as He is.
2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.(A) We know that when He appears, we will be like Him(B) because we will see Him as He is.(C)
2 Dear friends, we are now God's children, but what we will be like has not been revealed yet. We know that when the Messiah is revealed, we will be like him, because we will see him as he is.
3 And every person who has set his hope on this [i.e., of being like Jesus], will live [as] purely [as possible], just as He [i.e., Jesus Himself] is pure.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
3 And everyone who has this hope based on him keeps himself pure, just as the Messiah is pure.
5 But, you [should] know that Christ appeared [on earth] to take away [our] sins, and that there is no sin in His life [See II Cor. 5:21].
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
5 You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins,(c)(F) and there is no sin in Him.(G)
5 You know that the Messiah was revealed to take away sins, and there is not any sin in him.
6 No person who lives in [fellowship with] Christ will continue living a sinful life; the one who keeps on sinning [however], has not seen Him or known Him [as his personal Savior].
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
6 Everyone who remains in Him(H) does not sin;(d)(I) everyone who(e) sins has not seen Him or known Him.
6 No one who remains in union with him keeps on sinning. The one who keeps on sinning hasn't seen him or known him.
7 Little children [i.e., dear ones], do not allow anyone to lead you astray [from the truth]; the person who continues to do what is right is [considered by God as] righteous, even as Christ is righteous.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
7 (R)Little children, make sure no one (S)deceives you; (T)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;
7 Little children, let no one deceive you! The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.
7 Little children, don't let anyone deceive you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, just as the Messiah is righteous.
8 [But] the person who continues to live a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has continued to sin since the beginning [See Gen. 3]. For this is the reason that the Son of God came [into the world]; it was to destroy the works [i.e., the influence of] the devil [in people's lives].
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.
8 the one who practices sin is (U)of the devil; for the devil (c)has sinned from the beginning. (V)The Son of God (W)appeared for this purpose, (X)to destroy the works of the devil.
8 The one who commits(f) sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God(J) was revealed(K) for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works.
8 The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy what the Devil has been doing.
9 No one who has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God continues to live a sinful life, because God's seed [i.e., His word, See Luke 8:11] continues to live in his heart, so he cannot [continue a life of] sin, because he has been conceived by God.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
9 No one who is (d)(Y)born of God (Z)practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is (e)born of God.
9 Everyone who has been born of God(L) does not sin,(g) because His(h) seed(M) remains in him; he is not able to sin,(i) because he has been born of God.
9 No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God's seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God.
10 Here is how the children of God and the children of the devil can be recognized: All those who do not continue to do what is right do not belong to God. Also, the person who does not continue to love his brother [or sister does not belong to God].
10 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.
10 By this the (AA)children of God and the (AB)children of the devil are obvious: (f)anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who (AC)does not love his (AD)brother.
10 This is how God’s children—and the Devil’s children—are made evident.Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother.(N)
10 This is how God's children and the Devil's children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.
God Is Love, So Love One Another
11 [Now] this is the message that you people heard from the beginning [of Christ's ministry], that we should love one another [See Mark 12:31],
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
11 (AE)For this is the message (AF)which you have heard from the beginning, (AG)that we should love one another;
11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another,
11 This is the message that you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
12 not [hate each other] the way Cain did, who belonged to the evil one [i.e., Satan], when he murdered his brother [Abel]. And why did he murder him? It was because his [own] actions were evil and his brother's were righteous [See Heb. 11:4].
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
12 not as (AH)Cain, who was of (AI)the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because (AJ)his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
12 unlike Cain,(O) who was of the evil one(P) and murdered(j) his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
12 Do not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because what he was doing was evil and his brother's actions were righteous.
14 [For] we [can] know that we have passed out of [the realm of spiritual] death and into [spiritual] life, because we [show] love for the brothers [and sisters]. The person who does not love [them] continues to be [spiritually] dead.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
14 We know that we have (AL)passed out of death into life, (AM)because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.(R)
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love one another. The person who does not love remains spiritually dead.
15 Every person who hates his brother is a murderer [in God's sight]; and you [surely] know that no murderer has [the hope of] never ending life remaining in his heart.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
15 Everyone who (AN)hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that (AO)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
15 Everyone who hates his brother(S) is a murderer,(T) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life present in him.
Love In Action
16 Here is how we can know what genuine love really is: It was [demonstrated by] Jesus laying down His life [on the cross] for us. And [because of that] we [too] should [be willing to] lay down our lives for [the sake of helping] our brothers [and sisters].
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
16 We know love by this, that (AP)He laid down His life for us; and (AQ)we ought to lay down our lives for the (AR)brethren.
16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life(U) for us.(V) We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.(W)
16 This is how we have come to know love: the Messiah gave his life for us. We, too, ought to give our lives for our brothers.
17 Now whoever has [a sufficient amount of] life's possessions and [then] observes one of his [Christian] brothers who does not have enough to get by on, but does not feel sorry for him [i.e., enough to help him out], surely a love for God does not continue to live in that person's heart.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
17 But (AS)whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and (AT)closes his (g)heart (h)against him, (AU)how does the love of God abide in him?
17 If anyone has this world’s goods(X) and sees his brother in need(Y) but closes his eyes(Z) to his need—how can God’s love reside in him?(AA)
17 Whoever has earthly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God be present in him?
18 Little children [i.e., dear ones], we should not [merely] claim to love [people], or [even just] talk about it, but [we should love] by what we do [for them] in a genuine way.
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
18 Little children, we must stop expressing love merely by our words and manner of speech; we must love also in action and in truth.
Courage Before God
19 And this is how we will know that we are following [God's] truth, and will have assurance [of it] in our hearts and before God [as well].
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
19 This is how we will know we belong to the truth(AC) and will convince our conscience in His presence,
19 This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and how we will be able to keep ourselves strong in his presence.
20 But, if our hearts condemn us [for not demonstrating God's love for others], surely God, who is greater than our hearts [will also condemn us], because He knows all things.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
20 even if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience, and He knows all things.(AD)
20 If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
21 Loved ones, if our hearts do not condemn us [i.e., because we are showing love by helping the needy], we can have boldness before God [in prayer for our own needs];
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
21 Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we have confidence before God
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God.
22 and we can be assured of receiving from God whatever we ask Him for, because we are obeying His commands [i.e., especially the one about loving others] and are practicing what is pleasing to Him.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
22 and (BA)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we (BB)keep His commandments and do (BC)the things that are pleasing in His sight.
22 and can receive whatever we ask from Him because we keep His commands(AE) and do what is pleasing in His sight.
22 Whatever we request we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
23 And this is His commandment: We should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ [i.e., the person of Christ], and love one another, just He has commanded us to do.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
23 This is His commandment, that we (l)(BD)believe in (BE)the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as (BF)He (m)commanded us.
23 Now this is His command: that we believe in the name(AF) of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us.
23 And this is his commandment: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus the Messiah, and to love one another as he commanded us.
24 And God lives in the heart of the person who [continually] obeys His commands, and he lives in [fellowship with] God. And here is [another] way we know that God lives in our hearts: It is by [means of] the Holy Spirit, whom God gave to us. [See Rom. 8:9, 11; James 4:5; I Cor. 6:19].
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
24 The one who (BG)keeps His commandments (BH)abides in Him, and He in him. (BI)We know by this that (BJ)He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
24 The one who keeps His commands remains in Him,(AG) and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us(AH) is from the Spirit(AI) He has given us.
24 The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he remains in us: he has given us his Spirit.