1 John 3:1-18 ▼

1 Behold what manner of love {agapēn} the Father {Patēr} has given to us, that we should be called children of God {Theou}. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

2 Beloved {Agapētoi}, we are now children of God {Theou}, and what we will be has not yet been revealed (made clear). We know that when Christ appears \when He appears/, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure \just as He is pure/.

4 Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness (iniquity) as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness (is violation of the Law).

5 But you⁺ know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.

6 No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.

7 Little children [Young children in training], let no one deceive you⁺: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous \He is righteous/.

8 The one who practices sin is of the devil {diabolou}, because the devil {diabolos} has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God {Theou} was revealed (made clear), to destroy the works (acts) of the devil.

9 Anyone born of God {Theou} refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

10 By this the children of God {Theou} are distinguished from the children of the devil {diabolou}: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love {agapōn} his brother.

11 This is the message you⁺ have heard from the beginning: We should love {agapōmen} one another.

12 Do not be like Cain (acquired), who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds (acts) were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

13 So 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 {agapōmen} our brothers (and sisters). The one who does not love {agapōn} remains in death.

15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you⁺ know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.

16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life {psychēn} for us, and we ought to lay down our lives {psychas} for our brothers (and sisters).

17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love {agapē} of God {Theou} abide in him?

18 Little children, let us love {agapōmen} not in word and speech (language), but in action and truth.