Iohannis I 3
1 videte qualem caritatem dedit nobis Pater ut filii Dei nominemur et sumus propter hoc mundus non novit nos quia non novit eum
See what great love the Father has lavished on us: he lets us be called God’s children! For that is what we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him.
2 carissimi nunc filii Dei sumus et nondum apparuit quid erimus scimus quoniam cum apparuerit similes ei erimus quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est
Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is that, when it is revealed, we will be like him, because we will see him as he is.
3 et omnis qui habet spem hanc in eo sanctificat se sicut et ille sanctus est
And just as he is pure, everyone who has this hope, makes and keeps themselves pure.
4 omnis qui facit peccatum et iniquitatem facit et peccatum est iniquitas
Everyone who lives sinfully is living in violation of God’s law. Sin is lawlessness.
5 et scitis quoniam ille apparuit ut peccata tolleret et peccatum in eo non est
You know that Christ appeared to take away our sins and that there is no sin in him.
6 omnis qui in eo manet non peccat omnis qui peccat non vidit eum nec cognovit eum
No one who lives in him continues to sin; the sinner has not seen or known him.
7 filioli nemo vos seducat qui facit iustitiam iustus est sicut et ille iustus est
My children, don’t let anyone mislead you. The person who does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
8 qui facit peccatum ex diabolo est quoniam ab initio diabolus peccat in hoc apparuit Filius Dei ut dissolvat opera diaboli
The person who lives in sin is a child of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To undo the devil’s work is the reason the Son of God appeared.
9 omnis qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit quoniam semen ipsius in eo manet et non potest peccare quoniam ex Deo natus est
No child of God sins, because God’s nature dwells in them. They can’t live in sin, because they are God’s children.
10 in hoc manifesti sunt filii Dei et filii diaboli omnis qui non est iustus non est de Deo et qui non diligit fratrem suum
By this it is made clear who are the children of God and who are the devil’s: anyone who doesn’t do what is right or doesn’t love others is not a child of God.
11 quoniam haec est adnuntiatio quam audistis ab initio ut diligamus alterutrum
For this is the message we heard from the beginning: we are to love one another.
12 non sicut Cain ex maligno erat et occidit fratrem suum et propter quid occidit eum quoniam opera eius maligna erant fratris autem eius iusta
We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his actions were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
13 nolite mirari fratres si odit vos mundus
Do not be suprised, friends, if the world hates you.
14 nos scimus quoniam translati sumus de morte in vitam quoniam diligimus fratres qui non diligit manet in morte
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love each other. The person who does not love remains in a state of death.
15 omnis qui odit fratrem suum homicida est et scitis quoniam omnis homicida non habet vitam aeternam in se manentem (aiōnios g166)
The person who hates another is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life dwelling within them. (aiōnios g166)
16 in hoc cognovimus caritatem quoniam ille pro nobis animam suam posuit et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere
This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. So we should lay down our own lives for each other.
17 qui habuerit substantiam mundi et viderit fratrem suum necesse habere et clauserit viscera sua ab eo quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo
If anyone has material possessions, and sees one of our own in need, but closes their heart against that person, how can it be said that the love of God is within them?
18 filioli non diligamus verbo nec lingua sed opere et veritate
My children, our love must not be mere words or talk. It must be true and show itself in actions.
19 in hoc cognoscimus quoniam ex veritate sumus et in conspectu eius suadeamus corda nostra
This is how we will know we belong to the truth and reassure ourselves in God’s presence:
20 quoniam si reprehenderit nos cor maior est Deus corde nostro et novit omnia
though our conscience condemns us, God is greater than our conscience and knows everything.
21 carissimi si cor non reprehenderit nos fiduciam habemus ad Deum
Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, then we approach God with confidence,
22 et quodcumque petierimus accipiemus ab eo quoniam mandata eius custodimus et ea quae sunt placita coram eo facimus
and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we are keeping his commands, and are doing what pleases him.
23 et hoc est mandatum eius ut credamus in nomine Filii eius Iesu Christi et diligamus alterutrum sicut dedit mandatum nobis
His command is that we should believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as Christ commanded us.
24 et qui servat mandata eius in illo manet et ipse in eo et in hoc scimus quoniam manet in nobis de Spiritu quem nobis dedit
The person who keeps his commands dwells in God and God dwells in them. And we are sure he lives in us because of the Spirit he has given us.
