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) 3} All who have this hope in him purify themselves,^(I) just as he is pure.^(J)

¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life,^(A) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^{(B) 15} Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(C) is a murderer,^(D) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(E)

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