1 John 3:4-19

4Whoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5And ye know that he appeared to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6Whoever abideth in him sinneth not: whoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.1 10In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil: whoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

11For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.2 12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. 13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15Whoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But he who hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassions from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.3