The singular love of God toward us. How we in response ought to love one another.

3 Behold what love the Father has shown on us, that we should be called the children of God. Because of this, the world does not know you: because it does not know him. ² Dearly beloveds, now we are the children of God. And yet it does not appear what we will be. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

  ⁴ Whoever commits sin, commits unrighteousness also. For sin is unrighteousness. ⁵ And you know that he appeared to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. ⁶ As many as abide in him do not sin. Whoever sins has not seen him, neither has known him.

⁷ Babes, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. ⁸ He who commits sin is of the devil. For the devil has sinned since the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared: to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whosoever is born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. ¹⁰ In this are the children of God known, and the children of the devil. Whoever does not work righteousness is not of God, neither he who does not love his brother.

¹¹ For this is the message that you heard from the beginning: that you should love one another – ¹² not like Cain, who was of the wicked one and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s good.  ¹³ Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother, abides in death. ¹⁵ Whosoever hates his brother is a man-slayer. And you know that no man-slayer has eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶ By this we perceive love: that he gave his life for us. And therefore we also ought to give our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his compassion from him, how does the love of God dwell in him?

¹⁸ My babes, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ For by this we know that we are of the truth, and can quiet our hearts before him. ²⁰ But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloveds, if our hearts do not condemn us, then we have trust before God – ²² and whatever we ask, we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

²³ And this is his commandment: that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave commandment. ²⁴ And he who keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And by this we know that there abides in us of the Spirit that he gave us.