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

More on Love and Hatred

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