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1 John 3:11-21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

III. Love for One Another

11 [a]For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another,(A) 12 unlike Cain who belonged to the evil one and slaughtered his brother. Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, and those of his brother righteous.(B) 13 Do not be amazed, [then,] brothers, if the world hates you.(C) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death.(D) 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.(E) 16 The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.(F) 17 If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?(G) 18 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.(H)

Confidence Before God.[b] 19 [Now] this is how we shall know that we[c] belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him 20 in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. 21 Beloved, if [our] hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God

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Footnotes

  1. 3:11–18 Love, even to the point of self-sacrifice, is the point of the commandment. The story of Cain and Abel (1 Jn 3:12–15; Gn 4:1–16) presents the rivalry of two brothers, in a contrast of evil and righteousness, where envy led to murder. For Christians, proof of deliverance is love toward others, after the example of Christ. This includes concrete acts of charity, out of our material abundance.
  2. 3:19–24 Living a life of faith in Jesus and of Christian love assures us of abiding in God no matter what our feelings may at times tell us. Our obedience gives us confidence in prayer and trust in God’s judgment. This obedience includes our belief in Christ and love for one another.
  3. 3:19b–20 This difficult passage may also be translated “we shall be at peace before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for…” or “and before God we shall convince our hearts, if our hearts condemn us, that God is greater than our hearts.”
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.