<?phpecho '<div> <h3><a href="#">First</a></h3> <div>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</div></div><div>';?>
Just put it in single quotes.
Try the heredoc-based solution:
echo <<<HTML<div> <h3><a href="#">First</a></h3> <div>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</div> </div><div>HTML;
Using the first mechanism given there will do it.
<?php ...?><div> <h3><a href="#">First</a></h3> <div>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</div></div><div><?php ...?>