New International Version
1 John 3:1
1See 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.
Context of 1 John 3:1
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. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he 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 4:9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
- 2 Samuel 7:19And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!
- Psalms 31:19How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.
- Psalms 36:7How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
- Psalms 89:1I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
- John 3:16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- Romans 5:8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 8:32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
- Ephesians 2:4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
- Ephesians 3:18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
- Jeremiah 3:19“I myself said, “ ‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.
- Hosea 1:10“Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’
- John 1:12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
- Romans 8:14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
- Romans 9:25As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”
- 2 Corinthians 6:18And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries