English Standard Version
1 John 3:16
16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
1 John 3:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
- New International Version (NIV)This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
- New King James Version (NKJV)By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
- New Living Translation (NLT)We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Context of 1 John 3:16
14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Read all of 1 John 31 John 3:16 word by word
ἐν τούτῳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν· καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὰς ψυχὰς θεῖναι.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Herebyἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- perceive weγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- the loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- heἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- laid downτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
- forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- oughtὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
- the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
Cross-references for 1 John 3:16
- 1 John 4:9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
- Matthew 20:28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
- John 3:16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
- John 10:15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
- John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
- Acts 20:28Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
- Romans 5:8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- 1 Peter 1:18knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
- 1 Peter 2:24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
- 1 Peter 3:18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
- Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
- Revelation 5:9And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
- 1 John 2:6whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
- 1 John 4:11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
- John 13:34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Commentaries on 1 John 3:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God - This sixteenth verse of this third chapter of John's first epistle is, in the main, an exact counterpart of the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of St. John's gospel: God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, etc. Here the apostle says, We perceive, , we have known, the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. Of God is not in the text, but it is preserved in one MS., and in two or three…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God - The words “of God” are not in the original, and should not have been introduced into the translation, though they are found in the Latin Vulgate, and in the Genevan versions, and in one manuscript. They would naturally convey the idea that “God” laid down his life for us; or that God himself, in his divine nature, suffered. But this idea is not expressed in this passage as it is in the original, and of course no…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18Christ’s example shows that real love requires self-sacrifice. We follow his example when we care deeply about the needs of other people. This means giving our time, effort, prayers, and possessions to help them. In some cases, it may even mean giving our lives to meet their needs.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. What true love to the brethren is, illustrated by the love of Christ to us. Hereby--Greek, "Herein." the love of God--The words "of God" are not in the original. Translate, "We arrive at the knowledge of love"; we apprehend what true love is. he--Christ. and we--on our part, if absolutely needed for the glory of God, the good of the Church, or the salvation of a brother. lives--Christ alone laid down His one life for us all; we ought to lay down our…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 3:16
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries