⁴ Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.^{(A) 5} But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.^(B) And in him is no sin.^{(C) 6} No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.^(D) No one who continues to sin has either seen him^(E) or known him.^(F)

⁷ Dear children,^(G) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(H) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^{(I) 8} The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(J) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(K) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^{(L) 9} No one who is born of God^(M) will continue to sin,^(N) because God’s seed^(O) 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^(P) are and who the children of the devil^(Q) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love^(R) their brother and sister.^(S)

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard^(T) from the beginning:^(U) We should love one another.^{(V) 12} Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(W) and murdered his brother.^(X) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^{(Y) 13} Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[a] if the world hates you.^{(Z) 14} We know that we have passed from death to life,^(AA) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^{(AB) 15} Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(AC) is a murderer,^(AD) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(AE)