THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF
JOHN

1 John 3 ©

1 The apostle shows the dignity of believers, that they are now children of God, although their glory shall not fully be revealed until the coming of Christ. 3 And exhorts them to cleanse themselves. 5 For which end Christ was revealed. 7 That thereby the children of God, and the children of the devil are distinguished. 9 Because the children of God give not themselves to doing sin. 11 He exhorts them also to love one another. 12 And to flee from the example of Cain. 14. Teaches that love is a true evidence, that we are delivered from death, and that he who hates his neighbor, is a murderer before God. 16 Sets forth the love of Christ towards us, and exhorts us to imitate it. 18 Not with words only, but in action and truth. 19 Teaching that thereby we are more and more assured that we are true Christians. 22 And that our prayers shall be heard by God. 23 That this is the sum of Christ’s commandments to believe in Him, and to love our neighbor. 24 Which if we do, we have communion with Him, and are assured thereof by His Spirit.

1

BEHOLD,a1what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we 2should be called 3the sons of God: therefore 4the world 5knoweth us not, because it knew 6him not.

2

Beloved, 7nowb are we the sons of God, 8andc it doth not 9yet appear 10what we shall be: butd we know that, when 11he shall appear, we shall be 12like him; for we shall see him 13as he is.

3

And every man that hath 14this hope 15in him 16purifieth himself, even as 17he is pure.

4

Whosoever committeth 18sin 19transgresseth also the law: fore sin is the 20transgression of the law.

5

Andf ye know that 21he 22was manifested to 23take away our sins; andg in him is no sin.

6

24Whosoever abideth in him 25sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not 26seen him, neither known him.

7

Little children, let no man 27deceive you: heh that doeth 28righteousness is 29righteous, even 30as he is righteous.

8

He 31that committeth sin is 32of the devil; for the devil 33sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was 34manifested, that he might 35destroy 36the works of the devil.

9

37Whosoeveri is born of God 38doth not commit sin; forj39his seed 40remaineth in him: and he 41cannot sin, 42because he is born of God.

10

In this the children of God are 43manifest, and the children of the devil: 44whosoever doeth not righteousness is not 45of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

11

For this is 46the message that ye heard from the beginning, thatk we should love one another.

12

Not as Cain,l47who was of that wicked one, and 48slew 49his brother. And wherefore slew he him? 50Becausem his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

13

51Marveln not, my brethren, if 52the world hate you.

14

Weo know that we 53have passed 54from death unto life, 55because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15

Whosoever hateth his brother is a 56murderer: andp ye know that no murderer hath eternal life 57abiding in him.

16

Herebyq58perceive we 59the love of God, because 60he laid down 61his life for us: and we 62ought to lay down our 63lives for the brethren.

17

Butr whoso hath this world’s 64good, and seeth his brother have need, and 65shutteth up 66his bowels of compassion 67from him, how 68dwelleth the love 69of God in him?

18

My little children, let us not love 70in word, neither in tongue; but 71in deed and 72in truth.

19

And 73hereby we know that we are 74of the truth, and shall 75assure 76our hearts 77before him.

20

For if 78our heart 79condemn us, 80God is 81greater than our heart, and 82knoweth all things.

21

Beloved, if our heart condemn us 83not, then have we 84confidence 85toward God.

22

Ands86whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23

Andt this is his commandment, 87That we should believe 88on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, andu love one another, as he gave us commandment.

24

Andv he that keepeth his commandments 89dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, 90by the Spirit which he hath given us.