Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those 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 gave us commandment.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

II.— COMPORTARNOS COMO HIJOS DE DIOS (3,1—4,6)

Somos hijos de Dios

¡Miren qué amor tan inmenso el del Padre, que nos proclama y nos hace ser hijos suyos! Si el mundo nos ignora, es porque no conoce a Dios. Ahora, queridos, somos hijos de Dios, aunque todavía no se ha manifestado lo que hemos de ser. Pero sabemos que el día en que se manifieste, seremos semejantes a él, porque lo veremos tal cual es. Esta esperanza que hemos puesto en él es la que nos va perfeccionando, como él es perfecto.

Jesucristo borra nuestros pecados

Todo el que peca quebranta la ley, pues el pecado consiste en conculcar la ley. Y saben que Jesucristo, en quien no hay pecado, vino a borrar nuestros pecados. Quien permanece unido a él no comete pecado; quien sigue pecando, es que no lo ha visto ni conocido. Hijos míos, que nadie los engañe; el que practica el bien es justo, como Jesús es justo. Pero el que sigue pecando pertenece al diablo, porque el diablo es pecador desde el principio del mundo. El Hijo de Dios vino para aniquilar la obra del diablo, y ninguno que sea hijo de Dios puede seguir pecando, porque Dios es su Padre, y la vida misma de Dios alienta en él. 10 En esto se distinguen los hijos de Dios de los hijos del diablo: quien no practica el bien ni ama al hermano, no es hijo de Dios.

El amor fraterno

11 Desde el principio han escuchado ustedes el anuncio de amarse unos a otros. 12 No como Caín, quien, por ser del maligno, asesinó a su hermano. Y ¿por qué lo asesinó? Pues porque sus acciones eran malas, y las de su hermano, en cambio, eran buenas.

13 No se extrañen, hermanos, si el mundo los aborrece. 14 Sabemos que por amar a nuestros hermanos hemos pasado de la muerte a la vida, mientras que quien no ama sigue muerto. 15 Odiar al hermano es como darle muerte, y deben saber que ningún asesino tiene dentro de sí vida eterna. 16 Nosotros hemos conocido lo que es el amor en que Cristo dio su vida por nosotros; demos también nosotros la vida por los hermanos. 17 Pero si alguien nada en la abundancia y, viendo que su hermano está necesitado le cierra el corazón, ¿tendrá valor para decir que ama a Dios? 18 Hijos míos, ¡obras son amores y no buenas razones!

Confianza en Dios

19 Esta será la señal de que pertenecemos a la verdad y podemos sentirnos seguros en presencia de Dios: 20 que si alguna vez nos acusa la conciencia, Dios es más grande que nuestra conciencia y conoce todas las cosas. 21 Pero si la conciencia no nos acusa, queridos, crece nuestra confianza en Dios 22 y él nos concederá todo lo que le pidamos, porque cumplimos sus mandamientos y hacemos cuanto le agrada. 23 Y este es su mandamiento: que creamos en su Hijo Jesucristo y que nos amemos unos a otros conforme al precepto que él nos dio. 24 Quien cumple sus mandamientos, permanece en Dios y Dios en él; así nos lo hace saber el Espíritu que nos dio.

The Command to Love

Behold (A)what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that (B)we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, (C)because it did not know Him. Beloved, (D)now we are children of God; and (E)it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, (F)we shall be like Him, for (G)we shall see Him as He is. (H)And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and (I)sin is lawlessness. And you know (J)that He was manifested (K)to take away our sins, and (L)in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (M)He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, (N)that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been (O)born of God does not sin, for (P)His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love(Q)

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, (R)that we should love one another, 12 not as (S)Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if (T)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [c]his brother abides in death. 15 (U)Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that (V)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love

16 (W)By this we know love, (X)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But (Y)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, (Z)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we [d]know (AA)that we are of the truth, and shall [e]assure our hearts before Him. 20 (AB)For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, (AC)we have confidence toward God. 22 And (AD)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments (AE)and do those 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 (AF)and love one another, as He gave [f]us commandment.

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

24 Now (AG)he who keeps His commandments (AH)abides in Him, and He in him. And (AI)by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:1 NU adds And we are.
  2. 1 John 3:1 M you
  3. 1 John 3:14 NU omits his brother
  4. 1 John 3:19 NU shall know
  5. 1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest
  6. 1 John 3:23 M omits us

See (A)what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called (B)children of God; and so we are. The reason why (C)the world does not know us is that (D)it did not know him. Beloved, we are (E)God's children (F)now, and what we will be (G)has not yet appeared; but we know that (H)when he appears[a] (I)we shall be like him, because (J)we shall see him as he is. And everyone who (K)thus hopes in him (L)purifies himself as he is pure.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; (M)sin is lawlessness. You know that (N)he appeared in order to (O)take away sins, and (P)in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; (Q)no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, (R)let no one deceive you. (S)Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (T)Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was (U)to destroy the works of the devil. (V)No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's[b] seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, (W)nor is the one who (X)does not love his brother.

Love One Another

11 For (Y)this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, (Z)that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like (AA)Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? (AB)Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers,[c] (AC)that the world hates you. 14 We know that (AD)we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 (AE)Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that (AF)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 By this we know love, that (AG)he laid down his life for us, and (AH)we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But (AI)if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet (AJ)closes his heart against him, (AK)how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not (AL)love in word or talk but in deed and (AM)in truth.

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, (AN)if our heart does not condemn us, (AO)we have confidence before God; 22 and (AP)whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and (AQ)do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, (AR)that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and (AS)love one another, (AT)just as he has commanded us. 24 (AU)Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,[d] and God[e] in him. And (AV)by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:2 Or when it appears
  2. 1 John 3:9 Greek his
  3. 1 John 3:13 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 14, 16
  4. 1 John 3:24 Greek him
  5. 1 John 3:24 Greek he