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 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

10In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 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. 13Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother 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

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 4:4Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,
• Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
• 1 John 3:8He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
• 1 John 2:13I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
• Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
• 1 Samuel 18:14And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
• 1 Samuel 19:4Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you.
• 1 Samuel 22:14So Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house?
• Psalms 37:12The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth.
• Proverbs 29:27An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
• Matthew 27:23Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
• John 10:32Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
• John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore 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 fault in Him at all.
• Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

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