The Command to Love

Behold (A)what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that (B)we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, (C)because it did not know Him. Beloved, (D)now we are children of God; and (E)it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, (F)we shall be like Him, for (G)we shall see Him as He is. (H)And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and (I)sin is lawlessness. And you know (J)that He was manifested (K)to take away our sins, and (L)in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (M)He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, (N)that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been (O)born of God does not sin, for (P)His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love(Q)

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, (R)that we should love one another, 12 not as (S)Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if (T)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [c]his brother abides in death. 15 (U)Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that (V)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love

16 (W)By this we know love, (X)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But (Y)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, (Z)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we [d]know (AA)that we are of the truth, and shall [e]assure our hearts before Him. 20 (AB)For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, (AC)we have confidence toward God. 22 And (AD)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments (AE)and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ (AF)and love one another, as He gave [f]us commandment.

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

24 Now (AG)he who keeps His commandments (AH)abides in Him, and He in him. And (AI)by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:1 NU adds And we are.
  2. 1 John 3:1 M you
  3. 1 John 3:14 NU omits his brother
  4. 1 John 3:19 NU shall know
  5. 1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest
  6. 1 John 3:23 M omits us

Children of God Love One Another

See [a](A)how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called (B)children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because (C)it did not know Him. (D)Beloved, now we are (E)children of God, and (F)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He (G)appears, we will be (H)like Him, because we will (I)see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this (J)hope set on Him (K)purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and (L)sin is lawlessness. You know that He (M)appeared in order to (N)take away sins; and (O)in Him there is no sin. No one who remains in Him (P)sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or [b](Q)knows Him. (R)Little children, make sure no one (S)deceives you; (T)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is (U)of the devil; for the devil [c]has been sinning from the beginning. (V)The Son of God (W)appeared for this purpose, (X)to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been (Y)born 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 (Z)children of God and the (AA)children of the devil are obvious: [d]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who (AB)does not love his (AC)brother and sister.

11 (AD)For this is the message (AE)which you have heard from the beginning, (AF)that we are to love one another; 12 not as (AG)Cain, who was of (AH)the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because (AI)his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if (AJ)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have (AK)passed out of death into life, (AL)because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who (AM)hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that (AN)no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that (AO)He laid down His life for us; and (AP)we ought to lay down our lives for the (AQ)brothers and sisters. 17 But (AR)whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and (AS)closes his [e]heart [f]against him, (AT)how does the love of God remain in him? 18 (AU)Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and (AV)truth. 19 We will know by this that we are (AW)of 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 (AX)Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have (AY)confidence [g]before God; 22 and (AZ)whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we (BA)keep His commandments and do (BB)the things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 This is His commandment, that we [h](BC)believe in (BD)the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as (BE)He [i]commanded us. 24 The one who (BF)keeps His commandments (BG)remains in Him, and He in him. (BH)We know by this that (BI)He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:1 Lit what kind of love
  2. 1 John 3:6 Or has known
  3. 1 John 3:8 Lit sins
  4. 1 John 3:10 Lit everyone
  5. 1 John 3:17 Lit inward parts
  6. 1 John 3:17 Lit from
  7. 1 John 3:21 Lit toward
  8. 1 John 3:23 Or believe the name
  9. 1 John 3:23 Lit gave us a commandment