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1Littlechildren, make sure noone2deceives you; 3the one who practicesrighteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;
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the one who practicessin is 4of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 5The Son of God6appeared for this purpose, 7to destroy the works of the devil.
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No*one who is 8born of God9practicessin, because His seedabides in him; and he cannot*sin, because he is born of God.
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By this the 10children of God and the 11children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practicerighteousness is not of God, nor the one who 12does not love his 13brother.
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14For this is the message15which you have heard from the beginning, 16that we should loveoneanother;
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not as 17Cain, who was of 18the evilone and slew his brother. And for whatreason did he slay him? Because19his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.
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Do not be surprised, brethren, if20the worldhates you.
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We know that we have 21passed out of death into life, 22because we love the brethren. He who does not loveabides in death.
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Everyone who 23hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that 24no*murdererhaseternallifeabiding in him.
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We knowlove by this, that 25He laiddown His life for us; and 26we ought to laydown our lives for the 27brethren.
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But 28whoever*has the world'sgoods, and sees his brother in need and 29closes his heartagainst him, 30how does the love of Godabide in him?