Book of Common Prayer

The singular love of God toward us. How we in response ought to love one another.

3 Behold what love the Father has shown on us, that we should be called the children of God. Because of this, the world does not know you: because it does not know him. ² Dearly beloveds, now we are the children of God. And yet it does not appear what we will be. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

  ⁴ Whoever commits sin, commits unrighteousness also. For sin is unrighteousness. ⁵ And you know that he appeared to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. ⁶ As many as abide in him do not sin. Whoever sins has not seen him, neither has known him.

⁷ Babes, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. ⁸ He who commits sin is of the devil. For the devil has sinned since the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared: to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whosoever is born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. ¹⁰ In this are the children of God known, and the children of the devil. Whoever does not work righteousness is not of God, neither he who does not love his brother.

³¹ Then the Jews again took up stones, to stone him. ³² Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shown you from my Father. For which of them would you stone me? ³³ The Jews answered him, saying, We do not stone you for your good works, but for your blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.

³⁴ Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law: I say, you are gods? ³⁵ If he called them gods to whom the word of God was spoken (and the scripture cannot be broken), ³⁶ do you then say to him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, You blaspheme, because I said I am the Son of God? ³⁷ If I do not do the works of my Father, believe me not. ³⁸ But if I do, then though you do not believe me, yet believe the works, so that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him.

³⁹ Again they went about to seize him, but he escaped out of their hands. ⁴⁰ And he went away again beyond the Jordan, into the place where John before had baptized, and stayed there. ⁴¹ And many people resorted to him and said, John did no miracle, but all the things that John spoke about this man are true.

⁴² And many believed on him there.