1 John 2:29-5:5

New International Version

²⁹ If you know that he is righteous,^(A) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.^(B)

3 See what great love^(C) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(D) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^{(E) 2} Dear friends,^(F) now we are children of God,^(G) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^[a](H) we shall be like him,^(I) for we shall see him as he is.^{(J) 3} All who have this hope in him purify themselves,^(K) just as he is pure.^(L)

⁴ Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.^{(M) 5} But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.^(N) And in him is no sin.^{(O) 6} No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.^(P) No one who continues to sin has either seen him^(Q) or known him.^(R)

⁷ Dear children,^(S) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(T) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^{(U) 8} The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(V) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(W) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^{(X) 9} No one who is born of God^(Y) will continue to sin,^(Z) because God’s seed^(AA) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God^(AB) are and who the children of the devil^(AC) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love^(AD) their brother and sister.^(AE)

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard^(AF) from the beginning:^(AG) We should love one another.^{(AH) 12} Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(AI) and murdered his brother.^(AJ) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^{(AK) 13} Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[b] if the world hates you.^{(AL) 14} We know that we have passed from death to life,^(AM) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^{(AN) 15} Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(AO) is a murderer,^(AP) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(AQ)

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.^(AR) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.^{(AS) 17} If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,^(AT) how can the love of God be in that person?^{(AU) 18} Dear children,^(AV) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(AW)

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends,^(AX) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God^{(AY) 22} and receive from him anything we ask,^(AZ) because we keep his commands^(BA) and do what pleases him.^{(BB) 23} And this is his command: to believe^(BC) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(BD) and to love one another as he commanded us.^{(BE) 24} The one who keeps God’s commands^(BF) lives in him,^(BG) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(BH)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(BI) do not believe every spirit,^(BJ) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(BK) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(BL) is from God,^{(BM) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(BN) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(BO)

⁴ You, dear children,^(BP) are from God and have overcome them,^(BQ) because the one who is in you^(BR) is greater than the one who is in the world.^{(BS) 5} They are from the world^(BT) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(BU) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[c] of truth^(BV) and the spirit of falsehood.^(BW)

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another,^(BX) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(BY) and knows God.^{(BZ) 8} Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^{(CA) 9} This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(CB) into the world that we might live through him.^{(CC) 10} This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(CD) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(CE) 11} Dear friends,^(CF) since God so loved us,^(CG) we also ought to love one another.^{(CH) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(CI) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(CJ)

¹³ This is how we know^(CK) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(CL) 14} And we have seen and testify^(CM) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^{(CN) 15} If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(CO) God lives in them and they in God.^{(CP) 16} And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(CQ) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^{(CR) 17} This is how love is made complete^(CS) among us so that we will have confidence^(CT) on the day of judgment:^(CU) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(CV) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.^{(CW) 20} Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(CX) is a liar.^(CY) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(CZ) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^{(DA) 21} And he has given us this command:^(DB) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(DC)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(DD) that Jesus is the Christ^(DE) is born of God,^(DF) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^{(DG) 2} This is how we know^(DH) that we love the children of God:^(DI) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(DJ) And his commands are not burdensome,^{(DK) 4} for everyone born of God^(DL) overcomes^(DM) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(DN)