1 Johnchapter 3

A.Behold What Manner of Love: We Shall Be Like Himvv. 1-3

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has given to 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. 2 Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.

B.Two Families Made Plain: Righteousness or Sinvv. 4-10

4 Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

C.Not Like Cain: Love in Deed and Truthvv. 11-18

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. 13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer. 16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

D.Hearts Assured Before God, and the Spirit He Gavevv. 19-24

19 And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence: 20 Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, 22 and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are' (3:1).

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'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are' (3:1). 'It is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is'. And everyone with this hope purifieth himself. Sin is lawlessness, and 'to this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil' (3:8). The children of God and of the devil are told apart by righteousness and love, not as Cain, who slew his brother. Then love is defined by the cross: 'hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren' (3:16).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Epistle · John — 1 John overview

A. 1–3 Behold What Manner of Love: We Shall Be Like Him
B. 4–10 Two Families Made Plain: Righteousness or Sin
C. 11–18 Not Like Cain: Love in Deed and Truth
D. 19–24 Hearts Assured Before God, and the Spirit He Gave

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

1 John 45 verses
- 1 John 4:7Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
- 1 John 4:8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
- 1 John 4:9This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- 1 John 4:12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
- 1 John 4:15If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
- Read 1 John 4 →
1 John 24 verses
- 1 John 2:4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- 1 John 2:6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
- 1 John 2:28And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.
- 1 John 2:29If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
- Read 1 John 2 →
1 John 54 verses
- 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
- 1 John 5:2By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.
- 1 John 5:17All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.
- 1 John 5:18We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
- Read 1 John 5 →
1 Peter 13 verses
- 1 Peter 1:15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
- 1 Peter 1:22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
- 1 Peter 1:23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- Read 1 Peter 1 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

John 153 verses
- John 15:7If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- John 15:12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
- John 15:18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
- Read John 15 →
John 132 verses
- John 13:34A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- John 13:35By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
- Read John 13 →
Hebrews 42 verses
- Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Hebrews 4:16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
- Read Hebrews 4 →
3 John 11 verse
- 3 John 1:11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
- Read 3 John 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.