Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of
God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born
of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we
love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not
burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the
world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our
faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

  This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the
water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the
one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are
three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and
these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the
testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that
he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God
has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made
him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God
has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God
gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the
Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have
life.

  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the
confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything
according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us
in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have
asked of him.

  If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death,
he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins
that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do
not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but
there is sin that does not lead to death.

  We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on
sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one
does not touch him.

  We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the
power of the evil one.

  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us
understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in
him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and
eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.