3:1 Look at what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God; and [such] we are. For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it did not know him.
3:2 Beloved, we are now children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we will be. We know that, if he will be manifested, we will be like him; for we will see him even as he is.
3:3 And everyone who has this hope [set] on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
3:4 Everyone who does sin, also does lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
3:5 And you+ know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.
3:6 Whoever stays in him doesn't sin: whoever sins has neither seen him nor known him.
3:7 [My] little children, let no man lead you+ astray: he who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:
3:8 he who does sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
3:9 Whoever is begotten of God does not sin, because his seed stays in him: and he can't sin, because he is begotten of God.
3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: anyone not doing righteousness is not of God, neither is he who is not loving his brother.
3:11 For this is the message which you+ heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
3:12 not as Cain [who] was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
3:13 And don't marvel, brothers, if the world hates you+.
3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love stays in death.
3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you+ know that any murderer does not have eternal life staying in him.
3:16 Hereby we know love, because he laid down his soul for us: and we ought to lay down our souls for the brothers.
3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and looks at his brother in need, and shuts up his compassion from him, how does the love of God stay in him?
3:18 [My] little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
3:19 And hereby we will know that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before him:
3:20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have boldness toward God;
3:22 and whatever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
3:23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.
3:24 And he who keeps his commandments stays in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he stays in us, by the Spirit whom he gave us.