Chapter 3

  Behold 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.  

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  Beloved, 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.  

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

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

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

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

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

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  he 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.  

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

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  In 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.  

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

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  not 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.  

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  Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.  

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

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

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

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  But 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?  

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  [My] Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.  

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

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

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

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

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  And 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.  

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  And 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.  

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