²⁹ If you know that he is righteous,^(A) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.^(B)

3 See what great love^(C) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(D) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^{(E) 2} Dear friends,^(F) now we are children of God,^(G) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^[a](H) we shall be like him,^(I) for we shall see him as he is.^{(J) 3} All who have this hope in him purify themselves,^(K) just as he is pure.^(L)

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

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(A) who takes away the sin of the world!^{(B) 30} This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’^{(C) 31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.^{(D) 33} And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(E) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^{(F) 34} I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[a](G)