1 John 3

1 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.

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 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.

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

And just as he is pure, everyone who has this hope, makes and keeps themselves pure.

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

Everyone who lives sinfully is living in violation of God’s law. Sin is lawlessness.

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

You know that Christ appeared to take away our sins and that there is no sin in him.

6 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.

No one who lives in him continues to sin; the sinner has not seen or known him.

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

My children, don’t let anyone mislead you. The person who does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.

8 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

For this is the message we heard from the beginning: we are to love one another.

12 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.

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

Do not be suprised, friends, if the world hates you.

14 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.

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

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 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?

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 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.

My children, our love must not be mere words or talk. It must be true and show itself in actions.

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

This is how we will know we belong to the truth and reassure ourselves in God’s presence:

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

though our conscience condemns us, God is greater than our conscience and knows everything.

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

Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, then we approach God with confidence,

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

and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we are keeping his commands, and are doing what pleases him.

23 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.

His command is that we should believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as Christ commanded us.

24 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.

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.