1 John 3
3
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Jn 1.12. Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are. But since the people of this world did not know who Christ#3.1 Christ: The Greek text has “he” and may refer to God. is, they don't know who we are. 2My dear friends, we are already God's children, though what we will be hasn't yet been seen. But we do know when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is. 3This hope makes us keep ourselves holy, just as Christ#3.3 Christ: The Greek text has “that one” and may refer to God. is holy.
4Everyone who sins breaks God's law, because sin is the same as breaking God's law. 5#Jn 1.29. You know Christ came to take away our sins. He isn't sinful, 6and people who stay one in their hearts with him won't keep on sinning. If they do keep on sinning, they don't know Christ, and they have never seen him.
7Children, don't be fooled. Anyone who does right is good, just like Christ himself. 8Anyone who keeps on sinning belongs to the devil. He has sinned from the beginning, but the Son of God came to destroy all that he has done. 9God's children cannot keep on being sinful. His life-giving power#3.9 His life-giving power: The Greek text has “his seed.” lives in them and makes them his children, so they cannot keep on sinning. 10You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.
Love Each Other
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Jn 13.34. From the beginning you were told we must love each other. 12#Gn 4.8. Don't be like Cain, who belonged to the devil and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? He did it because his brother was good, and he was evil. 13My friends, don't be surprised if the people of this world hate you. 14#Jn 5.24. Our love for each other proves we have gone from death to life. But if you don't love each other, you are still under the power of death.
15If you hate each other, you are murderers, and we know murderers do not have eternal life. 16We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. This is why we must give our lives for each other. 17If we have all we need and see one of our own people in need, we must have pity on that person, or else we cannot say we love God. 18Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it.
19When we love others, we know we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God. 20But even if we don't feel at ease, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 21Dear friends, if we feel at ease in the presence of God, we will have the courage to come near him. 22He will give us whatever we ask, because we obey him and do what pleases him. 23#Jn 13.34; 15.12,17. God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other. This is also what Jesus taught us to do. 24If we obey God's commandments, we will stay one in our hearts with him, and he will stay one with us. The Spirit he has given us is proof that we are one with him.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
1 John 3
3
1See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God. For this reason the world knows us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
4Every one that practises sin practises also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5And ye know that he has been manifested that he might take away our sins; and in him sin is not. 6Whoever abides in him, does not sin: whoever sins, has not seen him or known him. 7Children, let no man lead you astray; he that practises righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that practises sin is of the devil; for from the beginning the devil sins. To this end the Son of God has been manifested, that he might undo the works of the devil. 9Whoever has been begotten of God does not practise sin, because his seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten of God. 10In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. Whoever does not practise righteousness is not of God, and he who does not love his brother.
11For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: 12not as Cain was of the wicked one, and slew his brother; and on account of what slew he him? because his works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous. 13Do not wonder, brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15Every one that hates his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16Hereby we have known love, because he has laid down his life for us; and we ought for the brethren to lay down our lives. 17But whoso may have the world's substance, and see his brother having need, and shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him? 18Children, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19And hereby we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall persuade our hearts before him —
20that if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness towards God, 22and whatsoever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and practise the things which are pleasing in his sight.
23And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that we love one another, even as he has given us commandment. 24And he that keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given to us.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.