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1. The Father has loved us so much! This shows how much he loved us: We are called children of God. And we really are his children. But the people in the world don't understand that we are God's children, because they have not known him.
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1. Behold G1492 , what manner G4217 of love G26 the G3588 Father G3962 hath bestowed G1325 upon us G2254 , that G2443 we should be called G2564 the sons G5043 of God G2316 : therefore G1223 G5124 the G3588 world G2889 knoweth G1097 us G2248 not G3756 , because G3754 it knew G1097 him G846 not G3756 .
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2. Dear friends, now we are children of God. We have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him. We will see him just as he is.
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2. Beloved G27 , now G3568 are G2070 we the sons G5043 of God G2316 , and G2532 it doth not yet G3768 appear G5319 what G5101 we shall be G2071 : but G1161 we know G1492 that G3754 , when G1437 he shall appear G5319 , we shall be G2071 like G3664 him G846 ; for G3754 we shall see G3700 him G846 as G2531 he is G2076 .
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3. He is pure, and everyone who has this hope in him keeps themselves pure like Christ.
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3. And G2532 every man G3956 that hath G2192 this G5026 hope G1680 in G1909 him G846 purifieth G48 himself G1438 , even as G2531 he G1565 is G2076 pure G53 .
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4. Anyone who sins breaks God's law. Yes, sinning is the same as living against God's law.
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4. Whosoever G3956 committeth G4160 sin G266 transgresseth also the law G4160 G2532 G458 : for G2532 sin G266 is G2076 the G3588 transgression of the law G458 .
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5. You know that Christ came to take away people's sins. There is no sin in Christ.
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5. And G2532 ye know G1492 that G3754 he G1565 was manifested G5319 to G2443 take away G142 our G2257 sins G266 ; and G2532 in G1722 him G846 is G2076 no G3756 sin G266 .
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6. So whoever lives in Christ does not continue to sin. If they continue to sin, they have never really understood Christ and have never known him.
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6. Whosoever G3956 abideth G3306 in G1722 him G846 sinneth G264 not G3756 : whosoever G3956 sinneth G264 hath not G3756 seen G3708 him G846 , neither G3761 known G1097 him G846 .
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7. Dear children, don't let anyone lead you into the wrong way. Christ always did what was right. So to be good like Christ, you must do what is right.
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7. Little children G5040 , let no man G3367 deceive G4105 you G5209 : he that doeth G4160 righteousness G1343 is G2076 righteous G1342 , even as G2531 he G1565 is G2076 righteous G1342 .
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8. The devil has been sinning since the beginning. Anyone who continues to sin belongs to the devil. The Son of God came for this: to destroy the devil's work.
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8. He that committeth G4160 sin G266 is G2076 of G1537 the G3588 devil G1228 ; for G3754 the G3588 devil G1228 sinneth G264 from G575 the beginning G746 . For G1519 this purpose G5124 the G3588 Son G5207 of God G2316 was manifested G5319 , that G2443 he might destroy G3089 the G3588 works G2041 of the G3588 devil G1228 .
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9. Those who are God's children do not continue to sin, because the new life God gave them stays in them. They cannot keep sinning, because they have become children of God.
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9. Whosoever G3956 is born G1080 of G1537 God G2316 doth not G3756 commit G4160 sin G266 ; for G3754 his G848 seed G4690 remaineth G3306 in G1722 him G846 : and G2532 he cannot G1410 G3756 sin G264 , because G3754 he is born G1080 of G1537 God G2316 .
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10. So we can see who God's children are and who the devil's children are. These are the ones who are not God's children: those who don't do what is right and those who do not love their brothers and sisters in God's family.
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10. In G1722 this G5129 the G3588 children G5043 of God G2316 are G2076 manifest G5318 , and G2532 the G3588 children G5043 of the G3588 devil G1228 : whosoever G3956 doeth G4160 not G3361 righteousness G1343 is G2076 not G3756 of G1537 God G2316 , neither G2532 he that loveth G25 not G3361 his G848 brother G80 .
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11. This is the teaching you have heard from the beginning: We must love each other.
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11. For G3754 this G3778 is G2076 the G3588 message G31 that G3739 ye heard G191 from G575 the beginning G746 , that G2443 we should love G25 one another G240 .
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12. Don't be like Cain. He belonged to the Evil One. Cain killed his brother. But why did he kill him? Because what Cain did was evil, and what his brother did was good.
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12. Not G3756 as G2531 Cain G2535 , who was G2258 of G1537 that wicked one G4190 , and G2532 slew G4969 his G848 brother G80 . And G2532 wherefore G5484 G5101 slew G4969 he him G846 ? Because G3754 his own G848 works G2041 were G2258 evil G4190 , and G1161 his G848 brother G80 's righteous G1342 .
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13. Brothers and sisters, don't be surprised when the people of this world hate you.
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13. Marvel G2296 not G3361 , my G3450 brethren G80 , if G1487 the G3588 world G2889 hate G3404 you G5209 .
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14. We know that we have left death and have come into life. We know this because we love each other as brothers and sisters. Anyone who does not love is still in death.
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14. We G2249 know G1492 that G3754 we have passed G3327 from G1537 death G2288 unto G1519 life G2222 , because G3754 we love G25 the G3588 brethren G80 . He that loveth G25 not G3361 his brother G80 abideth G3306 in G1722 death G2288 .
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15. Anyone who hates a fellow believer is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life.
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15. Whosoever G3956 hateth G3404 his G848 brother G80 is G2076 a murderer G443 : and G2532 ye know G1492 that G3754 no G3956 G3756 murderer G443 hath G2192 eternal G166 life G2222 abiding G3306 in G1722 him G846 .
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16. This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for each other as brothers and sisters.
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16. Hereby G1722 G5129 perceive G1097 we the G3588 love G26 of God G2316 , because G3754 he G1565 laid down G5087 his G848 life G5590 for G5228 us G2257 : and G2532 we G2249 ought G3784 to lay down G5087 our lives G5590 for G5228 the G3588 brethren G80 .
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17. Suppose a believer who is rich enough to have all the necessities of life sees a fellow believer who is poor and does not have even basic needs. What if the rich believer does not help the poor one? Then it is clear that God's love is not in that person's heart.
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17. But G1161 whoso G3739 G302 hath G2192 this world G2889 's good G979 , and G2532 seeth G2334 his G848 brother G80 have G2192 need G5532 , and G2532 shutteth up G2808 his G848 bowels G4698 of compassion from G575 him G846 , how G4459 dwelleth G3306 the G3588 love G26 of God G2316 in G1722 him G846 ?
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18. My children, our love should not be only words and talk. No, our love must be real. We must show our love by the things we do.
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18. My G3450 little children G5040 , let us not G3361 love G25 in word G3056 , neither G3366 in tongue G1100 ; but G235 in deed G2041 and G2532 in truth G225 .
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19. That's how we know we belong to the way of truth. And when our hearts make us feel guilty, we can still have peace before God, because God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything.
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19. And G2532 hereby G1722 G5129 we know G1097 that G3754 we are G2070 of G1537 the G3588 truth G225 , and G2532 shall assure G3982 our G2257 hearts G2588 before G1715 him G846 .
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20. For G3754 if G1437 our G2257 heart G2588 condemn G2607 us G3754 , God G2316 is G2076 greater G3187 than our G2257 heart G2588 , and G2532 knoweth G1097 all things G3956 .
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21. My dear friends, if we don't feel that we are doing wrong, we can be without fear when we come to God.
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21. Beloved G27 , if G1437 our G2257 heart G2588 condemn G2607 us G2257 not G3361 , then have G2192 we confidence G3954 toward G4314 God G2316 .
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22. And God gives us what we ask for. We receive it because we obey God's commands and do what pleases him.
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22. And G2532 whatsoever G3739 G1437 we ask G154 , we receive G2983 of G3844 him G846 , because G3754 we keep G5083 his G848 commandments G1785 , and G2532 do G4160 those things that are pleasing G701 in his sight G1799 G846 .
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23. This is what God commands: that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ, and that we love each other as he commanded.
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23. And G2532 this G3778 is G2076 his G848 commandment G1785 , That G2443 we should believe G4100 on the G3588 name G3686 of his G848 Son G5207 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 , and G2532 love G25 one another G240 , as G2531 he gave G1325 us G2254 commandment G1785 .
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24. Anyone who obeys God's commands lives in God. And God lives in them. How do we know that God lives in us? We know because of the Spirit he gave us.
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24. And G2532 he that keepeth G5083 his G848 commandments G1785 dwelleth G3306 in G1722 him G846 , and G2532 he G846 in G1722 him G846 . And G2532 hereby G1722 G5129 we know G1097 that G3754 he abideth G3306 in G1722 us G2254 , by G1537 the G3588 Spirit G4151 which G3739 he hath given G1325 us G2254 .
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