God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another,^(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(B) and knows God.^{(C) 8} Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^{(D) 9} This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(E) into the world that we might live through him.^{(F) 10} This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(G) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(H) 11} Dear friends,^(I) since God so loved us,^(J) we also ought to love one another.^{(K) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(L) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(M)

¹³ This is how we know^(N) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(O) 14} And we have seen and testify^(P) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^{(Q) 15} If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(R) God lives in them and they in God.^{(S) 16} And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(T) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^{(U) 17} This is how love is made complete^(V) among us so that we will have confidence^(W) on the day of judgment:^(X) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(Y) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.^{(Z) 20} Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(AA) is a liar.^(AB) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(AC) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^{(AD) 21} And he has given us this command:^(AE) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(AF)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(AG) that Jesus is the Christ^(AH) is born of God,^(AI) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^{(AJ) 2} This is how we know^(AK) that we love the children of God:^(AL) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(AM) And his commands are not burdensome,^{(AN) 4} for everyone born of God^(AO) overcomes^(AP) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(AQ)

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood^(AR)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^{(AS) 7} For there are three^(AT) that testify: ⁸ the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony,^(AU) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(AV) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(AW) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(AX) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(AY) and this life is in his Son.^{(AZ) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(BA)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(BB) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^{(BC) 14} This is the confidence^(BD) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.^{(BE) 15} And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know^(BF) that we have what we asked of him.^(BG)

¹⁶ If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.^(BH) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.^(BI) I am not saying that you should pray about that.^{(BJ) 17} All wrongdoing is sin,^(BK) and there is sin that does not lead to death.^(BL)

¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God^(BM) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one^(BN) cannot harm them.^{(BO) 19} We know that we are children of God,^(BP) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.^{(BQ) 20} We know also that the Son of God has come^(BR) and has given us understanding,^(BS) so that we may know him who is true.^(BT) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.^(BU)

²¹ Dear children,^(BV) keep yourselves from idols.^(BW)

¹ The elder,^(A)

To the lady chosen by God^(B) and to her children, whom I love in the truth^(C)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth^(D)— ² because of the truth,^(E) which lives in us^(F) and will be with us forever:

³ Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,^(G) the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,^(H) just as the Father commanded us. ⁵ And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.^(I) I ask that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love:^(J) that we walk in obedience to his commands.^(K) As you have heard from the beginning,^(L) his command is that you walk in love.

⁷ I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ^(M) as coming in the flesh,^(N) have gone out into the world.^(O) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.^{(P) 8} Watch out that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.^{(Q) 9} Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ^(R) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.^{(S) 10} If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.^{(T) 11} Anyone who welcomes them shares^(U) in their wicked work.

¹² I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face,^(V) so that our joy may be complete.^(W)

¹³ The children of your sister, who is chosen by God,^(X) send their greetings.

¹ The elder,^(A)

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

² Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. ³ It gave me great joy when some believers^(B) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.^{(C) 4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children^(D) are walking in the truth.^(E)

⁵ Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,^[a](F) even though they are strangers to you.^{(G) 6} They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way^(H) in a manner that honors^(I) God. ⁷ It was for the sake of the Name^(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.^{(K) 8} We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. ¹⁰ So when I come,^(L) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.^(M) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.^(N)

¹¹ Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.^(O) Anyone who does what is good is from God.^(P) Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.^{(Q) 12} Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone^(R)—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.^(S)

¹³ I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. ¹⁴ I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.^(T)

¹⁵ Peace to you.^(U) The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.^(V)