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 Beloved, 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 And 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 And ye know that he appeared to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Whosoever abides in him does not sin: whosoever sins has not seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you; he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he also is righteous. 8 He 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 Whosoever 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 In 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 Not 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 Marvel 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 Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 In 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 But 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 My little children, let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And 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 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence in God; 22 and 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 And 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.