1 John 3

1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.

Look at the amazing kind of love the Father has for us! This is why we can be called God's children—for that's who we are! The reason why the people of this world don't recognize us as God's children is because they don't recognize him.

2 Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is.

My friends, we are already God's children; however what we shall become hasn't been revealed just yet. But we do know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is.

3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

All those who have this hope in them make sure they are pure, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

All those who sin are lawless, because sin is lawlessness.

5 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and no sin is in him.

But of course you know that Jesus came to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him.

6 Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him.

All those who live in him don't go on sinning; all those who keep on sinning haven't seen him and haven't known him.

7 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

Dear friends, don't let anyone fool you: those who do what is right are right, in the same way as Jesus is right.

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Those who sin are of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. That's the reason why the Son of God came—to destroy what the devil has done.

9 Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.

All those who are born of God don't keep on sinning, for God's nature lives in them. They can't keep on sinning because they are born of God.

10 In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.

This is how God's children and the devil's children can be distinguished: all those who don't do what's right don't belong to God, nor do those who don't love their fellow Christians.

11 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another—

The message you've heard from the beginning is simply this: we should love one another.

12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

We cannot be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one, and murdered his brother. Why did he murder him? Because Cain did what was evil, while his brother did what was right.

13 Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

So don't be surprised, my friends, if this world hates you!

14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.

The reason we know that we have changed from death to life is because we love our Christian brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love remains dead.

15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. (aiōnios g166)

All those who hate their Christian brothers and sisters are murderers, and you know that no murderers have eternal life within them! (aiōnios g166)

16 By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters.

17 But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

If one of you is living well in this world and you see your Christian brother or sister in need, but you don't show compassion—how can God's love be living in you?

18 My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

Dear friends, let's not just say we love with words, but show our love in what we do and how we demonstrate the truth.

19 And by this we know that we are of the truth and persuade our hearts before him,

This is how we will know that we belong to the truth, and how we will set our minds at rest before God

20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

whenever we think we're in the wrong. God is greater than how we think, and he knows everything.

21 Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;

Dear friends, if we're reassured we're not in the wrong, we can have confidence before God.

22 so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

We'll receive from him whatever we ask him for, because we follow his commands and do what pleases him.

23 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.

This is what he commands: we should trust in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us to do.

24 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

Those who keep his commands continue to live in him, and he lives in them. We know that he lives in us by the Spirit he has given us.