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1 John 3:9-24 GW (9) Those who have been born from God don't live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can't live sinful lives. They have been born from God. (10) This is the way God's children are distinguished from the devil's children. Everyone who doesn't do what is right or love other believers isn't God's child. (11) The message that you have heard from the beginning is to love each other. (12) Don't be like Cain. He was a child of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain murder his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil and the things his brother did had God's approval. (13) Brothers and sisters, don't be surprised if the world hates you. (14) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love other believers. The person who doesn't grow in love remains in death. (15) Everyone who hates another believer is a murderer, and you know that a murderer doesn't have eternal life. (16) We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must (be willing to) give our lives for other believers. (17) Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God's love be in that person if he doesn't bother to help the other believer? (18) Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words. (19) This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and how we will be reassured in his presence. (20) Whenever our conscience condemns us, we will be reassured that God is greater than our conscience and knows everything. (21) Dear friends, if our conscience doesn't condemn us, we can boldly look to God (22) and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. (23) This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us. (24) Those who obey Christ's commandments live in God, and God lives in them. We know that he lives in us because he has given us the Spirit.

1 John 3:9-24 GNB (9) Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin. (10) Here is the clear difference between God's children and the Devil's children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God's children. (11) The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another. (12) We must not be like Cain; he belonged to the Evil One and murdered his own brother Abel. Why did Cain murder him? Because the things he himself did were wrong, and the things his brother did were right. (13) So do not be surprised, my friends, if the people of the world hate you. (14) We know that we have left death and come over into life; we know it because we love others. Those who do not love are still under the power of death. (15) Those who hate others are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life in them. (16) This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to (be willing to) give our lives for others! (17) If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? (18) My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. (19) This, then, is how we will know that we belong to the truth; this is how we will be confident in God's presence. (20) If our conscience condemns us, we know that God is greater than our conscience and that he knows everything. (21) And so, my dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have courage in God's presence. (22) We receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. (23) What he commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us. (24) Those who obey God's commands live in union with God and God lives in union with them. And because of the Spirit that God has given us we know that God lives in union with us.

1 John 3:9-24 CEV (9) God's children cannot keep on being sinful. His life-giving power lives in them and makes them his children, so that they cannot keep on sinning. (10) You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other. (11) From the beginning you were told that we must love each other. (12) Don't be like Cain, who belonged to the devil and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? He did it because his brother was good, and he was evil. (13) My friends, don't be surprised if the people of this world hate you. (14) Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life. But if you don't love each other, you are still under the power of death. (15) If you hate each other, you are murderers, and we know that murderers do not have eternal life. (16) We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That's why we must (be willing to) give our lives for each other. (17) If we have all we need and see one of our own people in need, we must have pity on that person, or else we cannot say we love God. (18) Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it. (19) When we love others, we know that we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God. (20) But even if we don't feel at ease, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. (21) Dear friends, if we feel at ease in the presence of God, we will have the courage to come near him. (22) He will give us whatever we ask, because we obey him and do what pleases him. (23) God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other. This is also what Jesus taught us to do. (24) If we obey God's commandments, we will stay one in our hearts with him, and he will stay one with us. The Spirit that he has given us is proof that we are one with him.

1 John 3:9-24 BBE Anyone who is a child of God does no sin, because he still has God's seed in him; he is not able to be a sinner, because God is his Father. (10) In this way it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the Evil One; anyone who does not do righteousness or who has no love for his brother, is not a child of God. (11) Because this is the word which was given to you from the first, that we are to have love for one another; (12) Not being of the Evil One like Cain, who put his brother to death. And why did he put him to death? Because his works were evil and his brother's works were good. (13) Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world has no love for you. (14) We are conscious that we have come out of death into life because of our love for the brothers. He who has no love is still in death. (15) Anyone who has hate for his brother is a taker of life, and you may be certain that no taker of life has eternal life in him. (16) In this we see what love is, because he (Jesus) gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers. (17) But if a man has this world's goods, and sees that his brother is in need, and keeps his heart shut against his brother, how is it possible for the love of God to be in him? (18) My little children, do not let our love be in word and in tongue, but let it be in act and in good faith. (19) In this way we may be certain that we are true, and may give our heart comfort before him, (20) When our heart says that we have done wrong; because God is greater than our heart, and has knowledge of all things. (21) My loved ones, if our heart does not say that we have done wrong, we have no fear before him; (22) And he gives us all our requests, because we keep his laws and do the things which are pleasing in his eyes. (23) And this is his law, that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love for one another, even as he said to us. (24) He who keeps his laws is in God and God is in him. And the Spirit which he gave us is our witness that he is in us.

1 John 3:9-24 ALT (9) Every one having been begotten from God is not practicing sin, because His seed abides in him, and he is not able to be sinning, because he has been begotten from God. (10) By this are revealed [who are] the children of God and the children of the Devil: every one not practicing righteousness is not from God, and the one not loving his brother. (11) Because this is the message which you* heard from [the] beginning, that we should be loving one another: (12) not as Cain-he was from the evil [one] and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his works were evil, but those of his brother [were] righteous. (13) Stop marveling, my brothers [and sisters], if the world hates you*. (14) _We_ know that we have passed over from death to life, because we are loving the brothers [and sisters]. The one not loving his brother abides in death. (15) Every one hating his brother is a murderer, and you* know that every murderer does not have eternal life abiding in himself. (16) By this we have come to know love, because that One (Jesus) laid down His life on our behalf, and _we_ ought to be laying down our lives on behalf of the brothers [and sisters]. (17) But whoever shall be having the goods of the world and shall be seeing his brother having need and shuts up his bowels from him [fig., refuses to show him compassion], how does the love of God abide in Him? (18) My little children, let us not be loving in word nor in the tongue, _but_ in deed and in truth! (19) And by this we know that we are of the truth, and we will assure our hearts [fig., consciences] before Him, (20) because if our heart [fig., conscience] is condemning [us], that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. (21) Beloved, if our heart [fig., conscience] shall not be condemning [us], we have confidence [or, a joyful sense of freedom] before God. (22) And whatever we shall be asking, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the [things] pleasing before Him. (23) And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and we should be loving one another, just as He gave commandment. (24) And the one keeping His commandments abides in Him, and He in him; and by this we know that He abides in us, from the Spirit which He gave to us.

1 John 3:9-24 MKJV (9) Everyone who has been born of God does not commit sin, because His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (10) In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the Devil: everyone not practicing righteousness is not of God, also he who does not love his brother. (11) For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; (12) not as Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And for what did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's things were righteous. (13) Do not marvel, my brothers, if the world hates you. (14) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love his brother abides in death. (15) Everyone hating his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has everlasting life abiding in him. (16) By this we have known the love of God, because He (Jesus) laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (17) But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother having need, and shuts up his bowels from him, how does the love of God dwell in him? (18) My children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (19) And in this we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him, (20) that if our heart accuses us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. (21) Beloved, if our heart does not accuse us, we have confidence toward God. (22) And whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (23) And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. (24) And he who keeps His commandment dwells in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He gave to us.

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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:

ALT - Analytical Literal Translation

ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).

Darby - 1889 Darby Bible

DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible

BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English

LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

KJV - King James Version

MKJV - Modern King James Version

NWT - New World Translation

Webster - 1833 Webster Bible

RV - Revised Version

YLT - Young's Literal Translation