12. Do not be like Cain who belonged to the Evil One. Cain killed his brother. He killed his brother because the things Cain did were evil, and the things his brother did were good.
13. Brothers, do not be surprised when the people of this world hate you.
14. We know that we have left death and have come into life. We know this because we love our brothers in Christ. Whoever does not love is still in death.
15. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
16. This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers.
17. Suppose a believer is rich enough to have all that he needs. He sees his brother in Christ who is poor and does not have what he needs. What if the believer does not help the poor brother? Then the believer does not have God’s love in his heart.
18. My children, our love should not be only words and talk. Our love must be true love. And we should show that love by what we do.
19-20. This is the way we know that we belong to the way of truth. When our hearts make us feel guilty, we can still have peace before God. God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21. My dear friends, if we do not feel that we are doing wrong, we can be without fear when we come to God.
22. And God gives us the things we ask for. We receive these things because we obey God’s commands, and we do what pleases him.