God’s Word Translation
1 John 3:1
1Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either.
1 John 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
- New International Version (NIV)See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Context of 1 John 3:1
Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either. 2Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 3So all people who have this confidence in Christ keep themselves pure, as Christ is pure.
Read all of 1 John 31 John 3:1 word by word
ἴδετε ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ πατήρ, ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶμεν καὶ ἐσμέν. διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- what manner ofποταπόςpotapos · of what kind?G4217
- loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
- the Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- hath bestowedδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- upon usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- we should be calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
- the sonsτέκνονteknon · childG5043
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- thereforeδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
- knowethγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- notοὐou · noG3756
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for 1 John 3:1
- 1 John 4:9God has shown us his love by sending his only Son into the world so that we could have life through him.
- 2 Samuel 7:19And even this you consider to be a small act, Almighty Lord. You’ve also spoken about the distant future of my house. Almighty Lord, this is the teaching about the man.
- Psalms 31:19Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam’s descendants watch as you show it to those who take refuge in you.
- Psalms 36:7Your mercy is so precious, O God, that Adam’s descendants take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
- Psalms 89:1I will sing forever about the evidence of your mercy, O Lord. I will tell about your faithfulness to every generation.
- John 3:16God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
- Romans 5:8Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us.
- Romans 8:32God didn’t spare his own Son but handed him over ⌞to death⌟ for all of us. So he will also give us everything along with him.
- Ephesians 2:4But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us.
- Ephesians 3:18This way, with all of God’s people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is.
- Jeremiah 3:19“I wanted to treat you like children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful property among the nations. I thought that you would call me Father and wouldn’t turn away from me.
- Hosea 1:10“Yet, the Israelites will become as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to measure them or count them. Wherever they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be told, ‘You are the children of the living God.’
- John 1:12However, he gave the right to become God’s children to everyone who believed in him.
- Romans 8:14Certainly, all who are guided by God’s Spirit are God’s children.
- Romans 9:25As God says in Hosea: “Those who are not my people I will call my people. Those who are not loved I will call my loved ones.
- 2 Corinthians 6:18The Lord Almighty says, “I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters.”
Commentaries on 1 John 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Behold, what manner of love - Whole volumes might be written upon this and the two following verses, without exhausting the extraordinary subject contained in them, viz., the love of God to man. The apostle himself, though evidently filled with God, and walking in the fullness of his light, does not attempt to describe it; he calls on the world and the Church to behold it, to look upon it, to contemplate it, and wonder at it. What manner of love. - · What…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Behold, what manner of love - What love, in “kind” and in “degree.” In kind the most tender and the most ennobling, in adopting us into His family, and in permitting us to address Him as our Father; in “degree” the most exalted, since there is no higher love that can be shown than in adopting a poor and friendless orphan, and giving him a parent and a home. Even God could bestow upon us no more valuable token of affection than that we should be adopted…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The apostle admires the love of God in making believers his children. (1-2) The purifying influence of the hope of seeing Christ, and the danger of pretending to this, and living in sin. (3-10) Love to the brethren is the character of real Christians. (11-15) That love described by its actings. (16-21) The advantage of faith, love, and obedience. (22-24) Verses 1-2 Little does the world know of the happiness of the real followers of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3When Christ returns, we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. God’s children bear the image of Christ and will share in his glory (see Romans 8:18–30). Those who have this hope keep themselves pure, seeking to become more like Christ as they await his glorious return. It is partly for this reason that God’s children will not be ashamed when Christ comes (1 John 2:29).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-241Jo 3:1-24. Distinguishing Marks of the Children of God and the Children of the Devil. Brotherly Love the Essence of True Righteousness. 1. Behold--calling attention, as to some wonderful exhibition, little as the world sees to admire. This verse is connected with the previous 1Jo 2:29, thus: All our doing of righteousness is a mere sign that God, of His matchless love, has adopted us as children; it does not save us, but is a proof that we are saved of…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 3:1
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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