¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

^9 (A)No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's^[a] 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, ^(B)nor is the one who ^(C)does not love his brother.

¹⁷ For ^(A)the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, ^(B)to keep you from doing the things you want to do.