^7 (A)Little children, make sure no one ^(B)deceives you; ^(C)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸ the one who practices sin is ^(D)of the devil; for the devil ^[a]has been sinning from the beginning. ^(E)The Son of God ^(F)appeared for this purpose, ^(G)to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ No one who has been ^(H)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 ^(I)children of God and the ^(J)children of the devil are obvious: ^[b]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who ^(K)does not love his ^(L)brother and sister.

⁴⁸ Therefore ^(A)you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

^36 [a]Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

^2 (A)Beloved, now we are ^(B)children of God, and ^(C)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He ^(D)appears, we will be ^(E)like Him, because we will ^(F)see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this ^(G)hope set on Him ^(H)purifies himself, just as He is pure.