1 John

Children of God

See the incredible love the Father has for us: we are called children of God, and we truly are. That is why the world does not recognize us; it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God’s children, and what we will become has not yet been revealed. But when he appears in his glory, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 

Everyone with this hope aims to be pure, just as he is pure.

Anyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness because sin is lawlessness. 

You know that he came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 

Anyone who remains in him does not sin; anyone who sins has not seen or known him.

Children, do not be deceived; those who do what is right are righteous, just as Jesus Christ is righteous. 

But those who sin belong to the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. This is the reason the Son of God was revealed to us: to undo the works of the devil. 

Those born of God do not sin because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot sin since they are born of God.

How can you recognize the children and identify those who are children of the devil? The one who does not do what is right is not of God, nor are those who do not love their brothers or sisters.

The Commandment of Love

For this is the message you were taught from the beginning: we must love one another.

Do not imitate Cain, who killed his brother, for he belonged to the evil one. Why did he kill him? Because he did evil, and his brother did good. 

So, do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates us; 

we love our brothers and sisters, and with this, we know that we have passed from death to life. The one who does not love remains in death.

All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and, as you know, eternal life does not remain in the murderer. 

This is how we have come to know what love is: he gave his life for us. We, too, ought to give our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

If anyone has worldly riches but closes his heart when he sees his brother or sister in need, how will the love of God remain in him? 

Children, let us love, not only in word or speech, but in truth and action. 

Then, we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 

in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have complete confidence in God. 

Then, whatever we ask, we will receive, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 

His command is that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us. 

All who obey his commandments remain in God, and God remains in them. It is by the Spirit he has given us that we know he lives in us.