Add parallel Print Page Options

Anyone who keeps on sinning belongs to the devil. He has sinned from the beginning, but the Son of God came to destroy all that he has done. God's children cannot keep on being sinful. His life-giving power[a] lives in them and makes them his children, so they cannot keep on sinning. 10 You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 3.9 His life-giving power: The Greek text has “his seed.”

The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,(A) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God(B) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.(C) No one who is born of God(D) will continue to sin,(E) because God’s seed(F) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God(G) are and who the children of the devil(H) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(I) their brother and sister.(J)

Read full chapter