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^[a] his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates^(C) you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.^{(D) 15} Everyone who hates his brother^(E) is a murderer,^(F) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

Love in Action

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.^{(I) 17} If anyone has this world’s goods^(J) and sees his brother in need^(K) but closes his eyes^(L) to his need—how can God’s love reside in him?^(M)

¹⁸ Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.^{(N) 19} This is how we will know we belong to the truth^(O) and will convince our conscience in His presence, ²⁰ even if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience, and He knows all things.^(P)

²¹ Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and can 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.

Cain Murders Abel

4 Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.”^{[a] 2} Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. ³ In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.^{(A) 4} And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.^(B) The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,^{(C) 5} but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.^[b]

⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious?^(D) And why do you look despondent?^{[c] 7} If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”^(E)

⁸ Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”^[d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.^(F)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

¹⁰ Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground!^(G)