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, and 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 in him is no sin. +
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, and 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
and 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.
+
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF
JOHN
Commentary by A. R. FAUSSETT
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