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10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers[a] does not belong to God.

Love One Another

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters,[b] if the world hates you.

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers,[c] it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister[d] is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:10 Greek does not love his brother.
  2. 3:13 Greek brothers.
  3. 3:14 Greek the brothers; similarly in 3:16.
  4. 3:15 Greek hates his brother.

10 This is how we know who the children of God(A) are and who the children of the devil(B) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(C) their brother and sister.(D)

More on Love and Hatred

11 For this is the message you heard(E) from the beginning:(F) We should love one another.(G) 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one(H) and murdered his brother.(I) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.(J) 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[a] if the world hates you.(K) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,(L) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.(M) 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister(N) is a murderer,(O) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.