God Is Love, So We Must Love One Another

3:11 For39 this is the gospel40 message41 that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another,42 3:12 not like Cain43 who was of the evil one and brutally44 murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.

3:13 Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters,45 if the world hates you.46 3:14 We know that47 we have crossed over48 from death to life49 because50 we love our fellow Christians.51 The one who does not love remains in death.52 3:15 Everyone who hates his fellow Christian53 is a murderer,54 and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing55 in him. 3:16 We have come to know love by this:56 that Jesus57 laid down58 his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians. 3:17 But whoever has the world’s possessions59 and sees his fellow Christian60 in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God61 reside62 in such a person?63

3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.64 3:19 And by this65 we will know that we are of the truth and will convince66 our conscience67 in his presence,68 3:20 that69 if our conscience condemns70 us, that71 God is greater than our conscience and knows all things. 3:21 Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, 3:22 and72 whatever we ask we receive from him, because73 we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. 3:23 Now74 this is his commandment:75 that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave76 us the commandment. 3:24 And the person who keeps his commandments resides77 in God,78 and God79 in him. Now by this80 we know that God81 resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us.