See what great love(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(C) Dear friends,(D) now we are children of God,(E) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a](F) we shall be like him,(G) for we shall see him as he is.(H) All who have this hope in him purify themselves,(I) just as he is pure.(J)

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.(K) But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.(L) And in him is no sin.(M) No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.(N) No one who continues to sin has either seen him(O) or known him.(P)

Dear children,(Q) do not let anyone lead you astray.(R) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.(S) The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,(T) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God(U) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.(V) No one who is born of God(W) will continue to sin,(X) because God’s seed(Y) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God(Z) are and who the children of the devil(AA) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(AB) their brother and sister.(AC)

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11 For this is the message you heard(AD) from the beginning:(AE) We should love one another.(AF) 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one(AG) and murdered his brother.(AH) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.(AI) 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[b] if the world hates you.(AJ) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,(AK) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.(AL) 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister(AM) is a murderer,(AN) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.(AO)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(AP) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(AQ) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,(AR) how can the love of God be in that person?(AS) 18 Dear children,(AT) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.(AU)

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Children of God Love One Another

See [a](A)how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called (B)children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because (C)it did not know Him. (D)Beloved, now we are (E)children of God, and (F)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He (G)appears, we will be (H)like Him, because we will (I)see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this (J)hope set on Him (K)purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and (L)sin is lawlessness. You know that He (M)appeared in order to (N)take away sins; and (O)in Him there is no sin. No one who remains in Him (P)sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or [b](Q)knows Him. (R)Little children, make sure no one (S)deceives you; (T)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is (U)of the devil; for the devil [c]has been sinning from the beginning. (V)The Son of God (W)appeared for this purpose, (X)to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been (Y)born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the (Z)children of God and the (AA)children of the devil are obvious: [d]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who (AB)does not love his (AC)brother and sister.

11 (AD)For this is the message (AE)which you have heard from the beginning, (AF)that we are to love one another; 12 not as (AG)Cain, who was of (AH)the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because (AI)his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if (AJ)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have (AK)passed out of death into life, (AL)because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who (AM)hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that (AN)no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that (AO)He laid down His life for us; and (AP)we ought to lay down our lives for the (AQ)brothers and sisters. 17 But (AR)whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and (AS)closes his [e]heart [f]against him, (AT)how does the love of God remain in him? 18 (AU)Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and (AV)truth.

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