The First Epistle General of John

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- Kapitel 3 -

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we would be called, and would become, the sons of God. Because of this, the world does not know us, for it did not know him.

Most beloved, we are now the sons of God. But what we shall be then has not yet appeared. We know that when he does appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

And everyone who holds this hope in him, keeps himself holy, just as he also is holy.

Everyone who commits a sin, also commits iniquity. For sin is iniquity.(a)

And you know that he appeared in order that he might take away our sins. For in him there is no sin.

Everyone who abides in him does not sin. For whoever sins has not seen him, and has not known him.(b)

Little sons, let no one deceive you. Whoever does justice is just, even as he also is just.

Whoever commits sin is of the devil. For the devil sins from the beginning. For this reason, the Son of God appeared, so that he might eradicate the works of the devil.

All those who have been born of God do not commit sin. For the offspring of God abides in them, and he is not able to sin, because he was born of God.(c)

(d)

In this way, the sons of God are made manifest, and also the sons of the devil. Everyone who is not just, is not of God, as also anyone who does not love his brother.

Love One Another

(John 13:31–35; Romans 12:9–13)

For this is the announcement that you heard from the beginning: that you should love one another.

Do not be like Cain, who was of the evil one, and who killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked, but his brother’s works were just.

If the world hates you, brothers, do not be surprised.

We know that we have passed from death to life. For we love as 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 within him.

We know the love of God in this way: because he laid down his life for us. And so, we must lay down our lives for our brothers.

Whoever possesses the goods of this world, and sees his brother to be in need, and yet closes his heart to him: in what way does the love of God abide in him?

My little sons, let us not love in words only, but in works and in truth.

In this way, we will know that we are of the truth, and we will commend our hearts in his sight.

For even if our heart reproaches us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows all things.

Most beloved, if our heart does not reproach us, we can have confidence toward God;

and whatever we shall request of him, we shall receive from him. For we keep his commandments, and we do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

And this is his commandment: that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

And those who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And we know that he abides in us by this: by the Spirit, whom he has given to us.(e)

Fußnoten

(a)3:4 Iniquity:transgression of the law.(Challoner)

(b)3:6 Sins not:viz., mortally. See chap. 1.8.(Challoner)

(c)3:9 In Latin, when a sentence has a subject, and the next part of that same sentence has a subject, expressed in a pronoun, the second subject is generally the same as the first. So in ‘non potest peccare’ (he is not able to sin), the subject is the same as of the previous verb ‘manet,’ namely ‘semen ipsus’ (the offspring of God). Therefore, we who have been born of God are able to avoid sin because we have he who absolutely cannot sin remaining in us. Those who commit actual mortal sins lose that presence of Christ and of His Spirit within them which is called sanctifying grace or the state of grace.(Conte)

(d)3:9 Commits not sin:That is, as long as he keeps in himself this seed of grace, and this divine generation, by which he is born of God. But then he may fall from this happy state, by the abuse of his free will, as appears from Rom. 11:20-22; Cor. 9:27; and 10.12; Phil. 2:12; Apoc. 3:11.(Challoner)

(e)3:24 The plural pronoun is used here and elsewhere in order to distinguish between Christ and his followers.(Conte)

See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.

Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is.

Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and no sin is in him.

Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him.

Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.

Love One Another

(John 13:31–35; Romans 12:9–13)

For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another—

unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

And by this we know that we are of the truth and persuade our hearts before him,

because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;

so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.

He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.