Children of God Love One Another

3 See ^[a](A)how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called ^(B)children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because ^(C)it did not know Him. ^2 (D)Beloved, now we are ^(E)children of God, and ^(F)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He ^(G)appears, we will be ^(H)like Him, because we will ^(I)see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this ^(J)hope set on Him ^(K)purifies himself, just as He is pure.

⁴ Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and ^(L)sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that He ^(M)appeared in order to ^(N)take away sins; and ^(O)in Him there is no sin. ⁶ No one who remains in Him ^(P)sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or ^[b](Q)knows Him. ^7 (R)Little children, make sure no one ^(S)deceives you; ^(T)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸ the one who practices sin is ^(U)of the devil; for the devil ^[c]has been sinning from the beginning. ^(V)The Son of God ^(W)appeared for this purpose, ^(X)to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ No one who has been ^(Y)born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this the ^(Z)children of God and the ^(AA)children of the devil are obvious: ^[d]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who ^(AB)does not love his ^(AC)brother and sister.

^11 (AD)For this is the message ^(AE)which you have heard from the beginning, ^(AF)that we are to love one another; ¹² not as ^(AG)Cain, who was of ^(AH)the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because ^(AI)his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.

¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if ^(AJ)the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have ^(AK)passed out of death into life, ^(AL)because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. ¹⁵ Everyone who ^(AM)hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that ^(AN)no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. ¹⁶ We know love by this, that ^(AO)He laid down His life for us; and ^(AP)we ought to lay down our lives for the ^(AQ)brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ But ^(AR)whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and ^(AS)closes his ^[e]heart ^[f]against him, ^(AT)how does the love of God remain in him? ^18 (AU)Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and ^(AV)truth. ¹⁹ We will know by this that we are ^(AW)of the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him,

^6 (A)We are from God. ^(B)The one who knows God listens to us; ^(C)the one who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know ^(D)the spirit of truth and ^(E)the spirit of error.

God Is Love

^7 (F)Beloved, let’s ^(G)love one another; for love is from God, and ^(H)everyone who loves has been ^(I)born of God and ^(J)knows God. ⁸ The one who does not love does not know God, because ^(K)God is love.

¹⁸ And ^(A)do not get drunk with wine, ^[a]in which there is ^(B)debauchery, but be ^(C)filled with the Spirit,

¹⁶ But I say, ^(A)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out ^(B)the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(C)the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, ^(D)in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are ^(E)led by the Spirit, ^(F)you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ^(G)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, ²⁰ idolatry, ^(H)witchcraft, hostilities, ^(I)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ^(J)selfish ambition, dissensions, ^(K)factions, ²¹ envy, ^(L)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ^(M)inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But ^(N)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(O)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, ^(P)self-control; against such things ^(Q)there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who ^[a]belong to ^(R)Christ Jesus ^(S)crucified the flesh with its passions and ^(T)desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow ^(U)the Spirit as well. ²⁶ Let’s not become ^(V)boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.