16. By this we KNOW (both fists clenched to chest over heart) love, that he LAID DOWN HIS LIFE (make a cross) for us, and WE (point two thumbs to self) ought to lay down OUR LIVES (stretch out two hands with palms up and move arms apart from each other in front of body to indicate the whole audience) for the brothers.
17. But if anyone has THE WORLD’S GOODS (make money motion with both hands by rubbing thumbs and fingers together) and SEES (make searching sign with hand to brow) his brother in need, yet closes HIS HEART AGAINST HIM (fold arms across chest and turn partly as if turning your back on someone, and look away with “cold-hearted look”), HOW (make questioning sign with two hands palms up at sides with bent elbow, and make confused look with eyes) does God’s love ABIDE IN HIM (place open palms over heart)?
18. LITTLE CHILDREN (lean forward with one hand to ear as if beckoning others to listen intently to you), let us not love in WORD (place one hand near mouth and make beak-like mouth motion) or TALK (same thing with opposite hand near mouth on other side to show yapping motions), but in DEED (open first “yapper” hand out in front with open palm) and in TRUTH (place opposite hand in similar manner).
19. By this we shall know that we are OF THE TRUTH (make Bible with stiff hands to form book in front of body) and reassure our HEART BEFORE HIM (palms to chest then skyward and look up);
20. for whenever our HEART (make heart shape using two hands) CONDEMNS US (make gavel motion slamming down in front to show “guilty”), God is GREATER (outstretched arms) than our heart, and he KNOWS (point several fingers to ‘temples’ on side of head) everything.
21. Beloved, if our heart does NOT (arms make an X in front of body) condemn us, we have CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD (hands palm up and together, lifted toward heaven and eyes also looking up);
22. and whatever we ASK (praying hands, bent head) we receive from him, because we keep his COMMANDMENTS (make Bible with hands) and DO WHAT PLEASES HIM (kneel and look up with palms up and high).
23. And this is HIS (with bent elbow and palm stiff and open with fingers pointing up, eyes looking up) COMMANDMENT (same stiff open hand now points to audience with straight elbow), that we believe in the LORD JESUS CHRIST (alternate third fingers touch to opposite open palms to indicate nail piercings) and LOVE ONE ANOTHER (sweeping hands to audience), just as HE (make cross) has commanded US (stiff elbows, palms face up and outstretched together to audience).
