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. 10 This is how God’s children and the devil’s children become obvious. Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother or sister.ag

LOVE IN ACTION

11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another, 12 unlike Cain,ah who was of the evil oneai and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hatesaj you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.ak 15 Everyone who hates his brother or sisteral is a murderer,am and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his lifean for us.ao We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.ap 17 If anyone has this world’s goodsaq and sees a fellow believerK in needar but withholds compassionas from him—how does God’s love reside in him?at 18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.au

19 This is how we will know that we belong to the trutha and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things.b