1 John 3-5

New International Version

3 See what great love^(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^{(C) 2} Dear friends,^(D) now we are children of God,^(E) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^[a](F) we shall be like him,^(G) for we shall see him as he is.^{(H) 3} All who have this hope in him purify themselves,^(I) just as he is pure.^(J)

⁴ Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.^{(K) 5} But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.^(L) And in him is no sin.^{(M) 6} No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.^(N) No one who continues to sin has either seen him^(O) or known him.^(P)

⁷ Dear children,^(Q) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(R) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^{(S) 8} The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(T) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(U) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^{(V) 9} No one who is born of God^(W) will continue to sin,^(X) because God’s seed^(Y) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God^(Z) are and who the children of the devil^(AA) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love^(AB) their brother and sister.^(AC)

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard^(AD) from the beginning:^(AE) We should love one another.^{(AF) 12} Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(AG) and murdered his brother.^(AH) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^{(AI) 13} Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[b] if the world hates you.^{(AJ) 14} We know that we have passed from death to life,^(AK) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^{(AL) 15} Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(AM) is a murderer,^(AN) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(AO)

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.^(AP) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.^{(AQ) 17} If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,^(AR) how can the love of God be in that person?^{(AS) 18} Dear children,^(AT) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(AU)

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends,^(AV) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God^{(AW) 22} and receive from him anything we ask,^(AX) because we keep his commands^(AY) and do what pleases him.^{(AZ) 23} And this is his command: to believe^(BA) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(BB) and to love one another as he commanded us.^{(BC) 24} The one who keeps God’s commands^(BD) lives in him,^(BE) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(BF)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(BG) do not believe every spirit,^(BH) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(BI) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(BJ) is from God,^{(BK) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(BL) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(BM)

⁴ You, dear children,^(BN) are from God and have overcome them,^(BO) because the one who is in you^(BP) is greater than the one who is in the world.^{(BQ) 5} They are from the world^(BR) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(BS) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[c] of truth^(BT) and the spirit of falsehood.^(BU)

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another,^(BV) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(BW) and knows God.^{(BX) 8} Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^{(BY) 9} This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(BZ) into the world that we might live through him.^{(CA) 10} This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(CB) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(CC) 11} Dear friends,^(CD) since God so loved us,^(CE) we also ought to love one another.^{(CF) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(CG) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(CH)

¹³ This is how we know^(CI) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(CJ) 14} And we have seen and testify^(CK) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^{(CL) 15} If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(CM) God lives in them and they in God.^{(CN) 16} And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(CO) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^{(CP) 17} This is how love is made complete^(CQ) among us so that we will have confidence^(CR) on the day of judgment:^(CS) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(CT) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.^{(CU) 20} Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(CV) is a liar.^(CW) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(CX) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^{(CY) 21} And he has given us this command:^(CZ) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(DA)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(DB) that Jesus is the Christ^(DC) is born of God,^(DD) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^{(DE) 2} This is how we know^(DF) that we love the children of God:^(DG) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(DH) And his commands are not burdensome,^{(DI) 4} for everyone born of God^(DJ) overcomes^(DK) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(DL)

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood^(DM)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^{(DN) 7} For there are three^(DO) that testify: ⁸ the^[d] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony,^(DP) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(DQ) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(DR) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(DS) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(DT) and this life is in his Son.^{(DU) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(DV)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(DW) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^{(DX) 14} This is the confidence^(DY) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.^{(DZ) 15} And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know^(EA) that we have what we asked of him.^(EB)

¹⁶ If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.^(EC) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.^(ED) I am not saying that you should pray about that.^{(EE) 17} All wrongdoing is sin,^(EF) and there is sin that does not lead to death.^(EG)

¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God^(EH) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one^(EI) cannot harm them.^{(EJ) 19} We know that we are children of God,^(EK) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.^{(EL) 20} We know also that the Son of God has come^(EM) and has given us understanding,^(EN) so that we may know him who is true.^(EO) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.^(EP)

²¹ Dear children,^(EQ) keep yourselves from idols.^(ER)