1 ¶ Behold, what charity the Father has given us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world does not know us, because it does not know him.

2 B eloved, now we are the sons of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be; but we know that if he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 A nd every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

4 ¶ Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5 A nd ye know that he appeared to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.

6 W hosoever abides in him does not sin: whosoever sins has not seen him or known him.

7 L ittle children, let no one deceive you; he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he also is righteous.

8 H e that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that he might undo the works of the devil.

9 W hosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 I n this the sons of God are manifest, and the sons of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness and that loves not his brother is not of God.

11 ¶ For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, That we should love one another.

12 N ot as Cain, who was of the wicked one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

13 M arvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.

14 ¶ We know that we are passed from death unto life, in that we love the brethren. He that does not love his brother abides in death.

15 W hosoever hates his brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 I n this we have known the charity of God because he laid down his life for us; we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 B ut whosoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother have need and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how does the charity of God abide in him?

18 M y little children, let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

19 A nd in this we know that we are of the truth and have our hearts certified before him.

20 ¶ And if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

21 B eloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence in God;

22 a nd whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 ¶ And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he has commanded us.

24 A nd he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.