1 John 3:12

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 and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 11For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

1 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

• CainΚάϊνKain · CainG2535
• the evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• and slewσφάζωsphazō · to slaughterG4969
• his brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• And for whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• reasonχάρινcharin · because ofG5484
• him? Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• his deedsἔργονergon · workG2041
• were righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342

Cross-references for 1 John 3:12

• Genesis 4:4Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering;
• Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
• 1 John 3:8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
• 1 John 2:13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been 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 word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.
• 1 Samuel 18:14David was prospering in all his ways for the Lord was with him.
• 1 Samuel 19:4Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.
• 1 Samuel 22:14Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king’s son-in-law, who is captain over your guard, and is honored in your house?
• Psalms 37:12The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.
• Proverbs 29:27An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.
• Matthew 27:23And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”
• John 10:32Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”
• John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
• John 18:38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.
• Acts 7:52Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

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

• Abel
• Cain
• Commandments
• Homicide
• Motive
• Persecution
• Satan
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Cain
• Abel
• Appear
• Assure
• Condemn
• Murder
• Pleasing
• Sin
• Word
• Abel (1)

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