⁸the one who practices sin is ^aof the devil; for the devil ¹has sinned from the beginning. ^bThe Son of God ^cappeared for this purpose, ^dto destroy the works of the devil.

⁹No one who is ¹^aborn of God ^bpractices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

¹⁰By this the ^achildren of God and the ^bchildren of the devil are obvious: ¹anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who ^cdoes not love his ^dbrother.

¹¹^aFor this is the message ^bwhich you have heard from the beginning, ^cthat we should love one another;

¹²not as ^aCain, who was of ^bthe evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because ^chis deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

¹³Do not be surprised, brethren, if ^athe world hates you.

¹⁴We know that we have ^apassed out of death into life, ^bbecause we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

¹⁵Everyone who ^ahates his brother is a murderer; and you know that ^bno murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

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Footnotes

1Lit sins
1Or begotten
1Lit everyone

Cross references

a Matt 13:38; John 8:44; 1 John 3:10
b Matt 4:3
c 1 John 3:5
d John 12:31; 16:11
a John 1:13; 3:3; 1 John 2:29; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18; 3 John 11
b 1 Pet 1:23; 1 John 3:6; 5:18
a John 1:12; 11:52; Rom 8:16; 1 John 3:1, 2
b Matt 13:38; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8
c Rom 13:8ff; Col 3:14; 1 Tim 1:5; 1 John 4:8
d 1 John 2:9
a 1 John 1:5
b 1 John 2:7
c John 13:4f; 15:12; 1 John 4:7, 11f, 21; 2 John 5
a Gen 4:8
b Matt 5:37; 1 John 2:13f
c Ps 38:20; Prov 29:10; John 8:40, 41
a John 15:18; 17:14
a John 5:24
b John 13:35; 1 John 2:10
a Matt 5:21f; John 8:44
b Gal 5:20f; Rev 21:8

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do 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 were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The one who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works. Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because his seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. 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.

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

Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 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. Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

NLTNew Living Translation

But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil. Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another, not as Cain, who was of the evil one and violently murdered his brother. And for what reason did he violently murder him? Because his deeds were evil and the deeds of his brother were righteous.

Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that every murderer does not have eternal life residing in him.

KJV 1900King James Version

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 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. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

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