God’s Word Translation
1 John 3:23
23This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us.
1 John 3:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
- New International Version (NIV)And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
Context of 1 John 3:23
21Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we can boldly look to God 22and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us. 24Those who obey Christ’s commandments live in God, and God lives in them. We know that he lives in us because he has given us the Spirit.
Read all of 1 John 31 John 3:23 word by word
καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολὴ αὐτοῦ ἵνα πιστεύσωμεν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους καθὼς ἔδωκεν ἐντολὴν ἡμῖν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- commandmentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- Thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- we should believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- on the nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
- Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- one anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- he gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for 1 John 3:23
- Deuteronomy 18:15The Lord your God will send you a prophet, an Israelite like me. You must listen to him.
- Psalms 2:12Kiss the Son, or he will become angry and you will die on your way because his anger will burst into flames. Blessed is everyone who takes refuge in him.
- Mark 9:7Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
- John 6:29Jesus replied to them, “God wants to do something for you so that you believe in the one whom he has sent.”
- John 14:1“Don’t be troubled. Believe in God, and believe in me.
- John 17:3This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
- Acts 16:31They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved.”
- 1 Timothy 1:15This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner.
- 1 John 3:11The message that you have heard from the beginning is to love each other.
- 1 John 2:8On the other hand, I’m writing to give you a new commandment. It’s a truth that exists in Christ and in you: The darkness is fading, and the true light is already shining.
- 1 John 4:21Christ has given us this commandment: The person who loves God must also love other believers.
- Matthew 22:39The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’
- John 13:34“I’m giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you.
- John 15:12Love each other as I have loved you. This is what I’m commanding you to do.
- Ephesians 5:2Live in love as Christ also loved us. He gave his life for us as an offering and sacrifice, a soothing aroma to God.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9You don’t need anyone to write to you about the way Christians should love each other. God has taught you to love each other.
Commentaries on 1 John 3:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23That we should believe on the name of his Son - We are commanded to believe on Christ, that for the sake of his passion and death we may be justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses; and being through him redeemed from the guilt of sin, restored to the Divine favor, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, we are enabled to love one another as he gave us commandment; for without a renewal of the heart, love to God and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And this is his commandment - His commandment, by way of eminence; the leading, principal thing which he enjoins on us; the commandment which lies at the foundation of all true obedience. That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ - See the notes at Mark 16:16. Compare John 16:1; Acts 16:31. And love one another - This follows from the other, and hence they are mentioned as together constituting his commandment. Notes, John 13:35.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-24Verses 22-24 When believers had confidence towards God, through the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in the great High Priest, they might ask what they would of their reconciled Father. They would receive it, if good for them. And as good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, particularly to the brethren, must be in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. He who thus follows Christ, dwells in Him as his ark, refuge, and rest…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24John gives a new way to recognize who has the Spirit. The Spirit does not belong only to a small group of people who claim to have special knowledge but do not show changed lives. Instead, the Spirit comes to all believers and leads them to live in obedience as followers of Christ (Galatians 5:22–23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Summing up of God's commandments under the Gospel dispensation in one commandment. this is his commandment--singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but are indissolubly united. We cannot truly love one another without faith in Christ, nor can we truly believe in Him without love. believe--once for all; Greek aorist. on the name of his Son--on all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Him, and on Himself in respect to His…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 3:23
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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