1
See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called [the] children of God. For this reason the world knows us not, because it knew him not.
2
Beloved, now are we children of God, and what we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
3
And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as *he* is pure.
4
Every one that practises sin practises also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
5
And ye know that *he* has been manifested that he might take away our sins; and in him sin is not.
6
Whoever abides in him, does not sin: whoever sins, has not seen him or known him.
[f].
To translate this 'sin is the transgression of the law,' as in A.V., is wrong, and gives a false definition of sin, for sin was in the world, and death as a consequence, before the giving of the law: see Rom. 5.13; 7.13. The Greek reads 'sin is lawlessness,' that is, the absence of the principle of law (not the law), or, in other words, of the control of God over the soul. I ought to have no will of my own, but be in obedience. The statement is reciprocal, and may be read 'lawlessness is sin.'