1 John 3:1

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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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.

Context of 1 John 3:1

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. 2Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

1 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 4:9God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
• 2 Samuel 7:19And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
• Psalms 31:19How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.
• Psalms 36:7How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.
• Psalms 89:1I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
• John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
• Romans 5:8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
• Romans 8:32Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
• Ephesians 2:4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
• Ephesians 3:18And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
• Jeremiah 3:19“I thought to myself, ‘I would love to treat you as my own children!’ I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land— the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me ‘Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me.
• Hosea 1:10“Yet the time will come when Israel’s people will be like the sands of the seashore—too many to count! Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ it will be said, ‘You are children of the living God.’
• John 1:12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
• Romans 8:14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
• Romans 9:25Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, “Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:18And I will be your Father, 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

• Adoption
• Blindness
• God
• God Continued...
• Image
• Persecution

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Sons of God
• Appear
• Assure
• Condemn
• Pleasing
• Sin
• Son of God
• Word

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