Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if {Or, it}he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.
And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
And ye know that he was manifested to {Or, bear sins}take away sins; and in him is no sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither {Or, hath known}knoweth him.
My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:
he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.
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.
For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall {Greek: persuade. compare Matthew 28:14.}assure our heart {Or, before him, whereinsoever our heart condemn us; because God & c.}before him:
because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;
and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
And this is his commandment, that we should {Greek: believe the name.}believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
Querverweise zu 1. Johannes 3,11 1Joh 3,11
And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.
Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard.
And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth.
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; {Or, even as I loved you, that ye also may love one another.}even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for {Some ancient authorities read you.}us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.
But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;
Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another {Many ancient authorities read from a clean heart. Compare 1 Timothy 1:5.}from the heart fervently:
Finally, be ye all likeminded, {Greek: sympathetic.}compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:
above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
And now I beseech thee, {Or, Cyria}lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.