More on Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard^(A) from the beginning:^(B) We should love one another.^{(C) 12} Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(D) and murdered his brother.^(E) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^{(F) 13} Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[a] if the world hates you.^{(G) 14} We know that we have passed from death to life,^(H) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^{(I) 15} Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(J) is a murderer,^(K) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(L)

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

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends,^(S) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God^{(T) 22} and receive from him anything we ask,^(U) because we keep his commands^(V) and do what pleases him.^{(W) 23} And this is his command: to believe^(X) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(Y) and to love one another as he commanded us.^{(Z) 24} The one who keeps God’s commands^(AA) lives in him,^(AB) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(AC)

⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,^(A) just as the Father commanded us. ⁵ And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.^(B) I ask that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love:^(C) that we walk in obedience to his commands.^(D) As you have heard from the beginning,^(E) his command is that you walk in love.

⁷ I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ^(F) as coming in the flesh,^(G) have gone out into the world.^(H) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.^{(I) 8} Watch out that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.^{(J) 9} Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ^(K) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.^{(L) 10} If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.^{(M) 11} Anyone who welcomes them shares^(N) in their wicked work.

⁵ Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,^[a](A) even though they are strangers to you.^{(B) 6} They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way^(C) in a manner that honors^(D) God. ⁷ It was for the sake of the Name^(E) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.^{(F) 8} We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.