1 John 3
Modern English Version
3 Consider how much love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4 Whoever practices sin breaks the law, for sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He was revealed to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever remains in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has not seen Him and does not know Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who does righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. 8 Whoever practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not practice sin, for His seed remains in him. And he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Whoever does not live in righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Love One Another
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning: We should love one another, 12 not like Cain, who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s works were righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love his brother remains in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
16 By this we know the love of God: that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 Whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, but closes his heart of compassion from him, how can the love of God remain in him? 18 My little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
Confidence Before God
19 By this we know that we are of the truth, and shall reassure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence before God. 22 And whatever we ask, we will receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He commanded us. 24 Now the one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He remains in us, through the Spirit whom He has given us.
1 John 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 1
4 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.(B) 5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.(C) 6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children,[b] let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 Everyone who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil.(D) 9 Those who have been born of God do not sin because God’s seed abides in them;[c] they cannot sin because they have been born of God.(E) 10 The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love a brother or sister.(F)
Love One Another
11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.(G) 12 We must not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you.(H) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brothers and sisters. Whoever does not love abides in death.(I) 15 All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.(J) 16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.(K) 17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?(L)
18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.(M) 19 And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him(N) 20 whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.(O)
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.(P) 24 All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.(Q)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.