2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.t We know that when he appears,D we will be like himu because we will see him as he is.v 3 And everyone who has this hopew in him purifies himself just as he is pure.x

4 Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed so that he might take away sins,E,y and there is no sin in him.z 6 Everyone who remains in himaa does not sin;F,ab everyone who sinsG has not seen him or known him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who commitsH sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of Godac was revealedad for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works. 9 Everyone who has been born of Godae does not sin,I because his seedaf remains in him; he is not able to sin,J because he has been born of God.