1 John · Chapter 3
1 John 3
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain · Source credits
Children of God
1Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.*
3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.*
4Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.*
5But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.
7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.*
8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.
9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
Love One Another
(John 13:31–35; Romans 12:9–13)
11This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
13So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.
14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.
16By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
17If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
18Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
19And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:
20Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.
21Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
23And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.
24Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.
Source notes
Old Testament references
References from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Text from the Berean Standard Bible.
2 Samuel 7:19And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your custom with man, O Lord GOD?
Psalms 31:19How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!
Psalms 36:7How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
Psalms 36:8They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
Psalms 36:9For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.
Psalms 89:1I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.
Psalms 89:2For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever; in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”
Jeremiah 3:19Then I said, ‘How I long to make you My sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations!’ I thought you would call Me ‘Father’ and never turn away from following Me.
Hosea 1:10Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’
Isaiah 56:5I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.