31 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God ; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved , now we are children of God , and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears , we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself , just as He is pure .
4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness ; and sin is lawlessness . 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins ; and in Him there is no sin . 6 No e one who abides in Him sins ; no e one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. 7 Little children , make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous , just as He is righteous ; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil ; for the devil has sinned from the beginning . The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil . 9 No e one who is born of God practices sin , because His seed abides in him; and he cannot e sin , because he is born of God . 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious : anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God , nor the one who does not love his brother .
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning , that we should love one another ; 12 not as Cain , who was of the evil one and slew his brother . And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil , and his brother's were righteous . 13 Do not be surprised , brethren , if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life , because we love the brethren . He who does not love abides in death . 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer ; and you know that no e murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this , that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren . 17 But whoever e has the world's goods , and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children , let us not love with word or with tongue , but in deed and truth . 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth , and will assure our heart before Him
20 in whatever e e our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things . 21 Beloved , if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God ; 22 and whatever e we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight .
23 This is His commandment , that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ , and love one another , just as He commanded e us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
