⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins^(A) and purify us from all unrighteousness.^(B)

3 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) 2} 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)

⁹ No one who is born of God^(A) will continue to sin,^(B) because God’s seed^(C) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another,^(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(B) and knows God.^(C)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(A) that Jesus is the Christ^(B) is born of God,^(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^(D)

⁹ We accept human testimony,^(A) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(B) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(C) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(D) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(E) and this life is in his Son.^{(F) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(G)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(H) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^(I)

¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God^(A) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one^(B) cannot harm them.^(C)