Knox Bible

1

See how the Father has shewn his love towards us; that we should be counted as God’s sons, should be his sons. If the world does not recognize us, that is because it never recognized him.

2

Beloved, we are sons of God even now, and what we shall be hereafter, has not been made known as yet. But we know that when he comes we shall be like him; we shall see him, then, as he is.

3

Now, a man who rests these hopes in him lives a life of holiness; he, too, is holy.

4

The man who commits sin, violates order; sin of its nature is disorder.

5

You know well enough that when he was revealed to us, it was to take away our sins; there is no sinfulness in him,

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and no one can dwell in him and be a sinner. The sinner must be one who has failed to see him, failed to recognize him.

7

Little children, do not allow anybody to mislead you; the man who lives right is the man who is right with God; he, too, is right in all his dealings.

8

The man who lives sinfully takes his character from the devil; the devil was a sinner from the first. If the Son of God was revealed to us, it was so that he might undo what the devil had done,

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and if a man is born of God, he does not live sinfully, he is true to his parentage; he cannot be a sinner, if he is born of God.✻

10

This, then, is how God’s children and the devil’s children are known apart. A man cannot trace his origin from God if he does not live right, if he does not love his brethren.

11

To love one another; that, from the first, was the charge given to you;

12

you were not to be like Cain, who took his character from the evil one, and murdered his brother. Why did he murder him? Because his own life was evil, and his brother’s life was acceptable to God.

13

No, brethren, do not be surprised that the world should hate you.

14

Remember that we have changed over from death to life, in loving the brethren as we do; whereas, if a man is without love, he holds fast by death.

15

A man cannot hate his brother without being a murderer, and you may be sure that no murderer has eternal life dwelling in him.

16

God has proved his love to us by laying down his life for our sakes; we too must be ready to lay down our lives for the sake of our brethren.

17

And now, suppose that a man has the worldly goods he needs, and sees his brother go in want; if he steels his heart against his brother, how can we say that the love of God dwells in him?

18

My little children, let us shew our love by the true test of action, not by taking phrases on our lips.

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That proves to us that we take our character from the truth, and we shall be able to satisfy our consciences before God;

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if our consciences condemn us, it is because God is above conscience, and nothing is hidden from him.✻

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Beloved, if conscience does not condemn us, we can appear boldly before God,

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and he will grant all our requests, since we are keeping his commandments, and living as he would see us live.

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What he commands is, that we should have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and at his command should love one another.

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When a man keeps his commandments, it means that he is dwelling in God, and God in him. This is our proof that he is really dwelling in us, through the gift of his Spirit.✻