3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not:

3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is:

3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure:

3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law:

3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin:

3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him:

3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:

3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil:

3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God:

3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother:

3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:

3:12 Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother' s righteous:

3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you:

3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death:

3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him:

3:16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren:

3:17 But whoso hath this world' s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him:

3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth:

3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him:

3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things:

3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God:

3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight:

3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment:

3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us: