⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ^8 (A)He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, ^(B)that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been ^(C)born of God does not sin, for ^(D)His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love^(E)

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.

^17 (A)All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

¹⁶ Do you not know that ^(A)to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?