New Living Translation
1 John 3:14
14If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.
1 John 3:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
- New International Version (NIV)We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
- English Standard Version (ESV)We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
Context of 1 John 3:14
12We 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. 13So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. 16We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Read all of 1 John 31 John 3:14 word by word
ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τοὺς ἀδελφούς· ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν μένει ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- we have passedμεταβαίνωmetabainō · to departG3327
- fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- deathὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- we loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- notμήmē · notG3361
- abidethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
Cross-references for 1 John 3:14
- 1 John 2:3And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.
- 1 John 5:2We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments.
- 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
- Luke 15:24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
- John 5:24“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
- Ephesians 2:1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
- 1 John 2:10Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
- 1 John 3:23And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.
- 1 John 4:7Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
- Psalms 16:3The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
- Matthew 25:40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
- John 13:35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
- John 15:12This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
- Galatians 5:22But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Ephesians 1:15Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,
- Colossians 1:4For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people,
Commentaries on 1 John 3:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14We know that we have passed from death unto life - Death and life are represented here as two distinct territories, states, or kingdoms, to either of which the inhabitants of either may be removed. This is implied in the term , from , denoting change of place, and , I go. It is the same figure which St. Paul uses, Colossians 1:13; : Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. The believers…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14We know that we have passed from death unto life - From spiritual death (Notes, Ephesians 2:1) to spiritual life; that is, that we are true Christians. Because we love the brethren - The sentiment here is, that it is an infallible evidence of true piety if we love the followers of Christ as such. See this sentiment illustrated in the notes at John 13:35. But how easy it would seem to be to apply such a test of piety as this! Who cannot judge accurately of…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. 14Having love for our fellow Christians is clear evidence that we have been born again and will have eternal life instead of death and judgment (see Romans 6:23; James 5:20; Revelation 21:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. We--emphatical; hated though we be by the world, we know what the world knows not. know--as an assured fact. passed--changed our state. Col 1:13, "from the power of darkness ... translated into the kingdom of His dear Son." from death unto life--literally, "out of the death (which enthrals the unregenerate) into the life (of the regenerate)." A palpable coincidence of language and thought, the beloved disciple adopting his Lord's words. because we…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 3:14
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
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