Berean Standard Bible
1 John 3:12
12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
1 John 3:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.
- English Standard Version (ESV)We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.
- New King James Version (NKJV)not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Context of 1 John 3:12
10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 11This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. 13So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
Read all of 1 John 31 John 3:12 word by word
οὐ καθὼς Κάϊν ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἦν καὶ ἔσφαξεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ· καὶ χάριν τίνος ἔσφαξεν αὐτόν; ὅτι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρὰ ἦν, τὰ δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ δίκαια.¶Read the interlinear
- notοὐou · noG3756
- likeκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- CainΚάϊνKain · CainG2535
- belonged toεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- belonged toἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- murderedσφάζωsphazō · to slaughterG4969
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- whyχάρινcharin · because ofG5484
- whyτίςtis · which?G5101
- Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- deedsἔργονergon · workG2041
- whileδέde · thenG1161
- righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
Cross-references for 1 John 3:12
- Genesis 4:4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
- Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
- 1 John 3:8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.
- 1 John 2:13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
- Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
- 1 Samuel 18:14and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
- 1 Samuel 19:4Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.
- 1 Samuel 22:14Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house?
- Psalms 37:12The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,
- Proverbs 29:27An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.
- Matthew 27:23“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
- John 10:32But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
- John 15:19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
- John 18:38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
- Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
Commentaries on 1 John 3:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Not as Cain - Men should not act to each other as Cain did to his brother Abel. He murdered him because he was better than himself. But who was Cain? , he was of the devil. And who are they who, through pride, lust of power, ambition, gain, etc., murder each other in wars and political contentions? . To attempt to justify the principle, and excuse the instigators, authors, abettors, etc., of such wars, is as vain as it is wicked. They are opposed to the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Not as Cain - Not manifesting the spirit which Cain did. His was a most remarkable and striking instance of a want of love to a brother, and the case was well adapted to illustrate the propriety of the duty which the apostle is enjoining. See Genesis 4:4-8. Who was of that wicked one - Of the devil; that is, he was under his influence, and acted from his instigation. And wherefore slew he him? - Because his own works were evil, and his brother‘s…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-15Verses 11-15 We should love the Lord Jesus, value his love, and therefore love all our brethren in Christ. This love is the special fruit of our faith, and a certain sign of our being born again. But none who rightly know the heart of man, can wonder at the contempt and enmity of ungodly people against the children of God. We know that we are passed from death to life: we may know it by the evidences of our faith in Christ, of which love to our brethren…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13Cain, who belonged to the evil one: Cain was jealous that Abel received approval from God. This jealousy led to murder (Genesis 4:8). God judges hatred, just like the outward act that results from it (see Matthew 5:21–22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. who--not in the Greek. of that wicked one--Translate, "evil one," to accord with "Because his own works were evil." Compare 1Jo 3:8, "of the devil," in contrast to "of God," 1Jo 3:10. slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous--through envy and hatred of his brother's piety, owing to which God accepted Abel's, but rejected Cain's offering. Enmity from the first existed between the seed of the woman and the seed of the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 3:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 John 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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