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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.

Context of 1 John 3:12

10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. 11For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 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. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Notοὐou · noG3756
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• CainΚάϊνKain · CainG2535
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• that wicked oneπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• slewσφάζωsphazō · to slaughterG4969
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• brotherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• whereforeχάρινcharin · because ofG5484
• ·τίςtis · which?G5101
• Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• andδέde · thenG1161
• righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342

Cross-references for 1 John 3:12

• Genesis 4:4And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
• Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
• 1 John 3:8The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
• 1 John 2:13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
• Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
• 1 Samuel 18:14In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.
• 1 Samuel 19:4Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.
• 1 Samuel 22:14Ahimelek answered the king, “Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household?
• Psalms 37:12The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
• Proverbs 29:27The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.
• Matthew 27:23“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
• John 10:32but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
• John 15:19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
• John 18:38“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
• Acts 7:52Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—

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