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17 If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?(A) 18 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.(B)

Confidence Before God.[a] 19 [Now] this is how we shall know that we[b] belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him

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Footnotes

  1. 3:19–24 Living a life of faith in Jesus and of Christian love assures us of abiding in God no matter what our feelings may at times tell us. Our obedience gives us confidence in prayer and trust in God’s judgment. This obedience includes our belief in Christ and love for one another.
  2. 3:19b–20 This difficult passage may also be translated “we shall be at peace before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for…” or “and before God we shall convince our hearts, if our hearts condemn us, that God is greater than our hearts.”