1 John 3:16

1 John 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
• New International Version (NIV)This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
• English Standard Version (ESV)By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Context of 1 John 3:16

14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:16 word by word

ἐν τούτῳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν· καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὰς ψυχὰς θεῖναι.¶Read the interlinear

• Herebyἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• perceive weγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• the loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• heἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• laid downτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• oughtὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
• the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80

Cross-references for 1 John 3:16

• 1 John 4:9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
• Matthew 20:28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
• John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• John 10:15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
• John 15:13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
• Acts 20:28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Assembly of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
• Romans 5:8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
• 1 Peter 1:18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
• 1 Peter 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
• 1 Peter 3:18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
• Revelation 1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
• Revelation 5:9And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
• 1 John 2:6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
• 1 John 4:11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
• John 13:34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Commentaries on 1 John 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God - This sixteenth verse of this third chapter of John's first epistle is, in the main, an exact counterpart of the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of St. John's gospel: God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, etc. Here the apostle says, We perceive, , we have known, the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. Of God is not in the text, but it is preserved in one MS., and in two or three…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God - The words “of God” are not in the original, and should not have been introduced into the translation, though they are found in the Latin Vulgate, and in the Genevan versions, and in one manuscript. They would naturally convey the idea that “God” laid down his life for us; or that God himself, in his divine nature, suffered. But this idea is not expressed in this passage as it is in the original, and of course no…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18Christ’s example shows that real love requires self-sacrifice. We follow his example when we care deeply about the needs of other people. This means giving our time, effort, prayers, and possessions to help them. In some cases, it may even mean giving our lives to meet their needs.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. What true love to the brethren is, illustrated by the love of Christ to us. Hereby--Greek, "Herein." the love of God--The words "of God" are not in the original. Translate, "We arrive at the knowledge of love"; we apprehend what true love is. he--Christ. and we--on our part, if absolutely needed for the glory of God, the good of the Church, or the salvation of a brother. lives--Christ alone laid down His one life for us all; we ought to lay down our…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 3:16

• Commandments
• Example
• Jesus, the Christ
• Love
• Suffering
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Appear
• Assure
• Condemn
• Pleasing
• Sin
• Word
• Christ, Offices of
• Ethics

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