1 John 3:10-23

10This is the way God’s children are distinguished from the devil’s children. Everyone who doesn’t do what is right or love other believers isn’t God’s child.

11The message that you have heard from the beginning is to love each other.

12Don’t be like Cain. He was a child of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain murder his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil and the things his brother did had God’s approval.

13Brothers and sisters, don’t be surprised if the world hates you.

14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love other believers. The person who doesn’t grow in love remains in death.

15Everyone who hates another believer is a murderer, and you know that a murderer doesn’t have eternal life.

16We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers.

17Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God’s love be in that person if he doesn’t bother to help the other believer?

18Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words.

19This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and how we will be reassured in his presence.

20Whenever our conscience condemns us, we will be reassured that God is greater than our conscience and knows everything.

21Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we can boldly look to God

22and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

23This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us.