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 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.

Context of 1 John 3:12

10It is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil by this—anyone who does not act righteously or love his brother is not of God. 11For this is the message you have heard from the beginning—we should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, while his brother’s were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers and sisters. The one 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 4:4while Abel—he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. Now Adonai looked favorably upon Abel and his offering,
• Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. Through faith he was commended as righteous when God approved of his gifts. And through faith he still speaks, although he is dead.
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they went the way of Cain; they were consumed for pay in Balaam’s error; and in Korah’s rebellion they have been destroyed.
• 1 John 3:8The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. Ben-Elohim appeared for this purpose—to destroy the works of the devil.
• 1 John 2:13I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One 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 word of the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one having been sown along the road.
• 1 Samuel 18:14David had success in all his undertakings, since Adonai was with him.
• 1 Samuel 19:4So Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial for you;
• 1 Samuel 22:14Then Ahimelech answered the king saying, “Who among all your servants is as trusted as David, the king’s son-in-law, a captain of the royal guard, and honored in your house?
• Psalms 37:12The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.
• Proverbs 29:27The righteous detest the unjust, and the wicked detest the upright.
• Matthew 27:23But Pilate said, “Why? What evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Let Him be executed!”
• John 10:32Yeshua answered them, “I’ve shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone Me?”
• John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you out of the world; therefore the world hates you.
• John 18:38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” After he said this, he went out again to the Judean leaders. He said to them, “I find no case against Him.
• Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed the ones who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. Now you have become His 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