¹⁶ So ^(A)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. ^(B)God is love, and ^(C)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this ^(D)is love perfected with us, so that ^(E)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because ^(F)as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but ^(G)perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not ^(H)been perfected in love.

3 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. ² 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. ³ And everyone who ^(K)thus hopes in him ^(L)purifies himself as he is pure.