See ^awhat an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would be permitted to be named and called and counted the ^bchildren of God! And so we are! For this reason the world does not know us, because ^cit did not know Him. 2 ^aBeloved, we are even here and now ^bchildren of God, and ^cit is not yet made clear what we will be after His coming. We know that when He ^dcomes and is revealed, we will as His children ^ebe like Him, because we will ^fsee Him just as He is in all His glory. 3 And everyone who has this ^ahope confidently placed in Him ^bpurifies himself, just as He is pure (holy, undefiled, guiltless) .

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and ^asin is lawlessness ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will. 5 You know that He ^aappeared in visible form as a man in order to ^btake away sins; and ^cin Him there is absolutely no sin for He has neither the sin nature nor has He committed sin or acts worthy of blame. 6 No one who abides in Him who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually ^apractices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or ^bknown Him. 7 ^aLittle children (believers, dear ones) , do not let anyone ^blead you astray. ^cThe one who practices righteousness the one who strives to live a consistently honorable life—in private as well as in public—and to conform to God’s precepts is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion is ^aof the devil and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. ^bThe Son of God ^cappeared for this purpose, ^dto destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is ^aborn of God deliberately, knowingly, and habitually ^bpractices sin, because ¹God’s seed His principle of life, the essence of His righteous character remains permanently in him who is born again—who is reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose; and he who is born again cannot habitually live a life characterized by sin, because he is born of God and longs to please Him. 10 By this the ^achildren of God and the ^bchildren of the devil are clearly identified: anyone who does not practice righteousness who does not seek God’s will in thought, action, and purpose is not of God, nor is the one who ^cdoes not unselfishly ¹love his believing ^dbrother.

11 ^aFor this is the message ^bwhich you believers have heard from the beginning of your relationship with Christ, ^cthat we should unselfishly love and seek the best for one another; 12 and not be like ^aCain, who was of ^bthe evil one and murdered his brother Abel. And why did he murder him? Because ^cCain’s deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, believers, if ^athe world hates you. 14 We know that we have ^apassed out of death into Life, ^bbecause we love the brothers and sisters. He who does not love remains in spiritual death. 15 Everyone who ^ahates (works against) his brother in Christ is at heart a murderer by God’s standards; and you know that ^bno murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Matt 5:21-23 16 By this we know and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious love: that ^aHe willingly laid down His life for us because He loved us. And ^bwe ought to lay down our lives for the ^cbelievers. 17 But ^awhoever has the ¹world’s goods (adequate resources) , and sees his brother in need, but ^bhas no compassion for him, ^chow does the love of God live in him? 18 ^aLittle children (believers, dear ones) , let us not love merely in theory with word or with tongue giving lip service to compassion, but in action and in ^btruth in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words. 19 By this we will know without any doubt that we are ^aof the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him 20 whenever our heart convicts us in guilt; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands. 21 ^aBeloved, if our heart does not convict us of guilt, we have ^bconfidence complete assurance and boldness before God; 22 and we receive from Him ^awhatever we ask because we carefully and consistently ^bkeep His commandments and do ^cthe things that are pleasing in His sight habitually seeking to follow His plan for us.

23 This is His commandment, that we ^abelieve with personal faith and confident trust in ^bthe name of His Son Jesus Christ, and that we unselfishly love and seek the best for one another, just as ^cHe commanded us. 24 The one who habitually ^akeeps His commandments obeying His word and following His precepts, abides and ^bremains in Him, and He in him. ^cBy this we know and have the proof that ^dHe really abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us as a gift.

See ^1ahow great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called ^bchildren of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because ^cit did not know Him. 2 ^aBeloved, now we are ^bchildren of God, and ^cit has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He ^dappears, we will be ^elike Him, because we will ^fsee Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this ^ahope set on Him ^bpurifies himself, just as He is pure.

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and ^asin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He ^aappeared in order to ^btake away sins; and ^cin Him there is no sin. 6 No one who remains in Him ^asins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or ^1bknows Him. 7 ^aLittle children, make sure no one ^bdeceives you; ^cthe one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is ^aof the devil; for the devil ¹has been sinning from the beginning. ^bThe Son of God ^cappeared for this purpose, ^dto destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who has been ^aborn of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the ^achildren of God and the ^bchildren of the devil are obvious: ¹anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who ^cdoes not love his ^dbrother and sister.

11 ^aFor this is the message ^bwhich you have heard from the beginning, ^cthat we are to love one another; 12 not as ^aCain, who was of ^bthe evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because ^chis own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if ^athe world hates you. 14 We know that we have ^apassed out of death into life, ^bbecause we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who ^ahates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that ^bno murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that ^aHe laid down His life for us; and ^bwe ought to lay down our lives for the ^cbrothers and sisters. 17 But ^awhoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and ^bcloses his ¹heart ²against him, ^chow does the love of God remain in him? 18 ^aLittle children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and ^btruth. 19 We will know by this that we are ^aof the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him, 20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. 21 ^aBeloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have ^bconfidence ¹before God; 22 and ^awhatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we ^bkeep His commandments and do ^cthe things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 This is His commandment, that we ^1abelieve in ^bthe name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as ^cHe ²commanded us. 24 The one who ^akeeps His commandments ^bremains in Him, and He in him. ^cWe know by this that ^dHe remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

See ^1ahow great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called ^bchildren of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because ^cit did not know Him. 2 ^aBeloved, now we are ^bchildren of God, and ^cit has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He ^dappears, we will be ^elike Him, because we will ^fsee Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this ^ahope fixed on Him ^bpurifies himself, just as He is pure.

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and ^asin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He ^aappeared in order to ^btake away sins; and ^cin Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him ^asins; no one who sins has seen Him or ^1bknows Him. 7 ^aLittle children, make sure no one ^bdeceives you; ^cthe one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is ^aof the devil; for the devil ¹has sinned from the beginning. ^bThe Son of God ^cappeared for this purpose, ^dto destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is ^1aborn of God ^bpractices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is ²born of God. 10 By this the ^achildren of God and the ^bchildren of the devil are obvious: ¹anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who ^cdoes not love his ^dbrother.

11 ^aFor this is the message ^bwhich you have heard from the beginning, ^cthat we should love one another; 12 not as ^aCain, who was of ^bthe evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because ^chis deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if ^athe world hates you. 14 We know that we have ^apassed out of death into life, ^bbecause we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who ^ahates his brother is a murderer; and you know that ^bno murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this, that ^aHe laid down His life for us; and ^bwe ought to lay down our lives for the ^cbrethren. 17 But ^awhoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and ^bcloses his ¹heart ²against him, ^chow does the love of God abide in him? 18 ^aLittle children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and ^btruth. 19 We will know by this that we are ^aof the truth, and will ¹assure our heart before Him 20 ¹in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 ^aBeloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have ^bconfidence ¹before God; 22 and ^awhatever we ask we receive from Him, because we ^bkeep His commandments and do ^cthe things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 This is His commandment, that we ^1abelieve in ^bthe name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as ^cHe ²commanded us. 24 The one who ^akeeps His commandments ^babides in Him, and He in him. ^cWe know by this that ^dHe abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.