1
See what great love the Father has given us in naming us the children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not see who we are, because it did not see who he was.
2
My loved ones, now we are children of God, and at present it is not clear what we are to be. We are certain that at his revelation we will be like him; for we will see him as he is.
3
And everyone who has this hope in him makes himself holy, even as he is holy.
4
Everyone who is a sinner goes against the law, for sin is going against the law.
5
And you have knowledge that he came to take away sin: and in him there is no sin.
6
Anyone who is in him does no sin; anyone who is a sinner has not seen him and has no knowledge of him.
7
My little children, let no man take you out of the true way: he who does righteousness is upright, even as he is upright;
8
The sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first. And the Son of God was seen on earth so that he might put an end to the works of the Evil One.
9
Anyone who is a child of God does no sin, because he still has God's seed in him; he is not able to be a sinner, because God is his Father.
10
In this way it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the Evil One; anyone who does not do righteousness or who has no love for his brother, is not a child of God.
11
Because this is the word which was given to you from the first, that we are to have love for one another;