| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Behold, 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 what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God's children--and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him. |
| 2Beloved, 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. | 2Dear friends, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. |
| 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. | 3And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure). |
| 4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. | 4Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. |
| 5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. | 5And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. |
| 6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. | 6Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. |
| 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. | 7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. |
| 8He 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. | 8The 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. |
| 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. | 9Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God's seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. |
| 10In 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. | 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness--the one who does not love his fellow Christian--is not of God. |
| 11For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. | 11For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another, |
| 12Not 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. | 12not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother's were righteous. |
| 13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. | 13Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. |
| 14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. | 14We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death. |
| 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. | 15Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. |
| 16Hereby 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. | 16We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians. |
| 17But 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? | 17But whoever has the world's possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person? |
| 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. | 18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth. |
| 19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. | 19And by this we will know that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience in his presence, |
| 20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. | 20that if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things. |
| 21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. | 21Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, |
| 22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. | 22and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. |
| 23And 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. | 23Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. |
| 24And 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. | 24And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us. |
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