Videte qualem caritatem dedit nobis Pater, ut filii Dei nominemur et simus. Propter hoc mundus non novit nos: quia non novit eum.

Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not him.

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.

Carissimi, nunc filii Dei sumus: et nondum apparuit quid erimus. Scimus quoniam cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus: quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est.

Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.

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.

Et omnis qui habet hanc spem in eo, sanctificat se, sicut et ille sanctus est.

And every one that hath this hope in him, sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.

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

Omnis qui facit peccatum, et iniquitatem facit: et peccatum est iniquitas.

Whosoever committeth sin committeth also iniquity; and sin is iniquity.

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

Et scitis quia ille apparuit ut peccata nostra tolleret: et peccatum in eo non est.

And you know that he appeared to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin.

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

Omnis qui in eo manet, non peccat: et omnis qui peccat, non vidit eum, nec cognovit eum.

Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not; and whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, nor known him.

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.

Filioli, nemo vos seducat. Qui facit justitiam, justus est, sicut et ille justus est.

Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.

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.

Qui facit peccatum, ex diabolo est: quoniam ab initio diabolus peccat. In hoc apparuit Filius Dei, ut dissolvat opera diaboli.

He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

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,

Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, peccatum non facit: quoniam semen ipsius in eo manet, et non potest peccare, quoniam ex Deo natus est.

Whosoever is born of God, committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him, and he can not sin, because he is born of God.

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.

In hoc manifesti sunt filii Dei, et filii diaboli. Omnis qui non est justus, non est ex Deo, et qui non diligit fratrem suum:

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just, is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother.

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.

quoniam hæc est annuntiatio, quam audistis ab initio, ut diligatis alterutrum.

For this is the declaration, which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another.

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

Non sicut Cain, qui ex maligno erat, et occidit fratrem suum. Et propter quid occidit eum? Quoniam opera ejus maligna erant: fratris autem ejus, justa.

Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother’s just.

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.

Nolite mirari, fratres, si odit vos mundus.

Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you.

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

Nos scimus quoniam translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres. Qui non diligit, manet in morte:

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death.

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.

omnis qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est. Et scitis quoniam omnis homicida non habet vitam æternam in semetipso manentem.

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself.

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

In hoc cognovimus caritatem Dei, quoniam ille animam suam pro nobis posuit: et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere.

In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

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.

Qui habuerit substantiam hujus mundi, et viderit fratrem suum necessitatem habere, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo: quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo?

He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him?

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?

Filioli mei, non diligamus verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate:

My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth.

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

in hoc cognoscimus quoniam ex veritate sumus: et in conspectu ejus suadebimus corda nostra.

In this we know that we are of the truth: and in his sight shall persuade our hearts.

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

Quoniam si reprehenderit nos cor nostrum: major est Deus corde nostro, et novit omnia.

For if our heart reprehend us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

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

Carissimi, si cor nostrum non reprehenderit nos, fiduciam habemus ad Deum:

Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God:

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

et quidquid petierimus, accipiemus ab eo: quoniam mandata ejus custodimus, et ea, quæ sunt placita coram eo, facimus.

And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.

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

Et hoc est mandatum ejus: ut credamus in nomine Filii ejus Jesu Christi: et diligamus alterutrum, sicut dedit mandatum nobis.

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ: and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.

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.

Et qui servat mandata ejus, in illo manet, et ipse in eo: et in hoc scimus quoniam manet in nobis, de Spiritu quem dedit nobis.

And he that keepeth his commandments, abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

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.