1 John 3

1Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1See how much the Father has loved us! He loves us so much that we are called the children of God, and that is what we really are. This is why the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him.

2Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.

2Dear friends, we are God’s children right now, but what we will be in the future hasn't been fully revealed yet. We do know that when Christ appears, we will be like him, because we will see him exactly as he is.

3And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

3Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps themselves pure, just as he is pure.

4Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

4Everyone who keeps on sinning is breaking God's law; in fact, sin is the same thing as lawlessness.

5And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.

5You know that Jesus appeared so that he could take away our sins, and there is no sin in him at all.

6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.

6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. Anyone who keeps on sinning has not seen him or known him.

7My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:

7Dear children, do not let anyone fool you. The person who does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.

8he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

8The person who keeps on sinning belongs to the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for this reason: to destroy the works of the devil.

9Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.

9No one who has been born of God makes a practice of sinning, because God’s nature remains in them. They cannot go on sinning because they have been born of God.

10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

10This is how we can tell who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God, and neither is anyone who does not love their brother or sister.

11For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:

11This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we must love one another.

12not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

12Do 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 actions were righteous.

13Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.

13Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised if the world hates you.

14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

14We know that we have moved from death to life because we love our Christian brothers and sisters. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

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

16Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ gave up his life for us. So we also should give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

17But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?

17If someone has enough money to live on and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help them, how can God's love be in that person?

18My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.

18Dear children, let's not just say that we love each other; let's show it through our actions and in truth.

19Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him:

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

20because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

20even if our hearts feel guilty, God is greater than our hearts and he knows everything.

21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;

21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we can come to God with total confidence.

22and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

22We receive from him whatever we ask because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

23And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.

23This is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love one another just as he commanded us to do.

24And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

24The person who obeys God's commands lives in God, and God lives in them. We know that he lives in us because of the Spirit he gave us.