11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

11 因为你们从起初所听见的信息是这样的：我们要彼此相爱。 12 不要像该隐，他属于那恶者，杀了自己的弟弟。他为什么杀弟弟呢？因为他自己的行为是恶的，而他弟弟的行为是义的。 13 弟兄们，如果世界恨你们，不要感到惊奇。 14 我们知道，因为我们爱弟兄，我们就已经出死入生了；那不爱弟兄的，就住在死亡中。 15 凡是恨自己弟兄的，就是杀人的，而你们知道：凡是杀人的，就没有永恒的生命住在他里面。16 我们从这一点就知道了爱：基督为我们舍弃了自己的生命，我们也应该为弟兄舍弃生命。 17 但如果有人拥有世界的财产，看见自己的弟兄有需要，却封闭情感，那么，属神的爱怎么能住在他里面呢？18 孩子们哪，让我们不在语言或口头上相爱，而在行为和真理中相爱， 19 从这一点我们就会知道我们属于真理。 20 就算我们的心责备自己，我们在神面前也可以安心，因为神比我们的心更大，并且他知道一切。