1 John Chapter 3

Other Translations

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 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.

2 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.

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

4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

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

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

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

8 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.

9 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.

10 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.

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

12 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.

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

14 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.

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

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

17 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

24 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.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).