Love in Action

¹¹ For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another, ¹² unlike Cain,^(A) who was of the evil one^(B) and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates^(C) you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.^{(D) 15} Everyone who hates his brother or sister^(E) is a murderer,^(F) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. ¹⁶ This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life^(G) for us.^(H) We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.^{(I) 17} If anyone has this world’s goods^(J) and sees a fellow believer^[a] in need^(K) but withholds compassion^(L) from him—how does God’s love reside in him?^{(M) 18} Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.^(N)

¹⁹ This is how we will know that we belong to the truth^(O) and will reassure our hearts before him ²⁰ whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things.^(P)

²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands^(Q) and do what is pleasing in his sight. ²³ Now this is his command: that we believe in the name^(R) of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps his commands remains in him,^(S) and he in him. And the way we know that he remains in us^(T) is from the Spirit^(U) he has given us.

Knowing God through Love

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God^(A) and knows God. ⁸ The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ God’s love was revealed among us^[a] in this way: God sent^(B) his one and only Son^(C) into the world so that we might live^(D) through him. ¹⁰ Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(E) and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice^[b](F) for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.^{(G) 12} No one has ever seen God.^(H) If we love one another, God remains in^[c] us and his love is made complete in us. ¹³ This is how we know that we remain in him^(I) and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(J) 14} And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son^(K) as the world’s Savior. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses^(L) that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. ¹⁷ In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,^(M) because as he is, so also are we in this world.^{(N) 18} There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,^(O) because fear involves punishment.^[d] So the one who fears is not complete in love.^{(P) 19} We love^[e] because he first loved us.^{(Q) 20} If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister,^(R) he is a liar.^(S) For the person who does not love his brother or sister^(T) whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.^{[f] 21} And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

A Call to Holy Living

¹³ Therefore, with your minds ready for action,^(A) be sober-minded^(B) and set your hope^(C) completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation^(D) of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children,^(E) do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. ¹⁵ But as the one who called you^(F) is holy,^(G) you also are to be holy in all your conduct; ¹⁶ for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.^{[a](H) 17} If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially^(I) according to each one’s work,^(J) you are to conduct yourselves in reverence^(K) during your time living as strangers. ¹⁸ For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life^(L) inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,^{(M) 19} but with the precious blood of Christ,^(N) like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.^{(O) 20} He was foreknown^(P) before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times^(Q) for you. ²¹ Through him you believe in God,^(R) who raised him from the dead^(S) and gave him glory,^(T) so that your faith and hope are in God.

²² Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth,^[b] so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other,^(U) from a pure^[c] heart love one another constantly,^{[d](V) 23} because you have been born again^(W)—not of perishable seed^(X) but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.^{(Y) 24} For

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.