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

13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if (G)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have (H)passed out of death into life, (I)because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who (J)hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that (K)no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that (L)He laid down His life for us; and (M)we ought to lay down our lives for the (N)brothers and sisters. 17 But (O)whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and (P)closes his [a]heart [b]against him, (Q)how does the love of God remain in him? 18 (R)Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and (S)truth. 19 We will know by this that we are (T)of the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him, 20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. 21 (U)Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have (V)confidence [c]before God; 22 and (W)whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we (X)keep His commandments and do (Y)the things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 This is His commandment, that we [d](Z)believe in (AA)the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as (AB)He [e]commanded us. 24 The one who (AC)keeps His commandments (AD)remains in Him, and He in him. (AE)We know by this that (AF)He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:17 Lit inward parts
  2. 1 John 3:17 Lit from
  3. 1 John 3:21 Lit toward
  4. 1 John 3:23 Or believe the name
  5. 1 John 3:23 Lit gave us a commandment

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)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.