Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: ^(A)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(B)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, ^(C)so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But ^(D)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now ^(E)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that ^(F)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But ^(G)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(H)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, ^(I)goodness, ^(J)faithfulness, ^23 [d]gentleness, self-control. ^(K)Against such there is no law.

⁷ But if we ^(A)walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and ^(B)the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we ^(C)confess our sins, He is ^(D)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to ^(E)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we ^(F)make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

The Test of Knowing Christ

2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(A)we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And ^(B)He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(C)also for the whole world.

^29 (A)If you know that He is righteous, you know that ^(B)everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Sin and the Child of God

⁴ Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and ^(A)sin is lawlessness. ⁵ And you know ^(B)that He was manifested ^(C)to take away our sins, and ^(D)in Him there is no sin. ⁶ Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ^8 (E)He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, ^(F)that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been ^(G)born of God does not sin, for ^(H)His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love^(I)

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, ^(J)that we should love one another,

¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love ^[a]his brother abides in death.