New International Reader's Version NIRV
New International Version NIV
11 From the beginning we have heard that we should love one another.
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For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
12 Don't be like Cain. He belonged to the evil one. He murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because the things Cain had done were wrong. But the things his brother had done were right.
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Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.
13 My brothers and sisters, don't be surprised if the world hates you.
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Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have left our old dead condition and entered into new life. We know it because we love one another. Those who do not are still living in their old condition.
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We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
15 Those who hate their brothers and sisters are murderers. And you know that murderers do not have eternal life in their hearts.
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Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 We know what love is because Jesus Christ gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.
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This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
17 Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. If he doesn't take pity on them, how can the love of God be in him?
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If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
18 Dear children, don't just talk about love. Put your love into action. Then it will truly be love.
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Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
19 That's how we know that we hold to the truth. And that's how we put our hearts at rest, knowing that God is watching.
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This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
20 Our hearts may judge us. But God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything.
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If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not judge us, we can be bold with God.
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Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
22 And he will give us anything we ask. That's because we obey his commands. We do what pleases him.
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and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
23 God has commanded us to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. He has also commanded us to love one another.
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And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
24 Those who obey his commands remain joined to him. And he remains joined to them. How do we know that God lives in us? We know it because of the Holy Spirit he gave us.
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The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.