1 John 3:12-22

12 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 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[a] if the world hates you.

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

16 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 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, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

20 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 condemn us, we have confidence before God

22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

Cross References

• 1. S Matthew 5:37
• 2. Genesis 4:8
• 3. Psalms 38:20; Proverbs 29:10
• 4. John 15:18,19; John 17:14
• 5. John 5:24
• 6. S 1 John 2:9
• 7. S 1 John 2:9
• 8. Matthew 5:21,22; John 8:44
• 9. Galatians 5:20,21; Revelation 21:8
• 10. John 10:11
• 11. John 15:13; Philippians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:8
• 12. Deuteronomy 15:7,8; James 2:15,16
• 13. 1 John 4:20
• 14. S 1 John 2:1
• 15. Ezekiel 33:31; Romans 12:9
• 16. S 1 Corinthians 10:14
• 17. S Ephesians 3:12; 1 John 5:14
• 18. S Matthew 7:7
• 19. S John 14:15
• 20. John 8:29; Hebrews 13:21

Footnotes

• [a]. The Greek word for "brothers and sisters" ("adelphoi" ) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.