1 John 3:14
in 1 John 3We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
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.
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This verse in 1 John 3
Commentary
4 notes on this verseWe 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 μεταβεβηκαμεν, from μετα, denoting change of place, and βαινω, I go. It is the same figure which St. Paul uses, Col 1:13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.
This site's exposition
Marvel not, my brethren
on 1 John 3:13-15
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you prepares the readers for Cain's pattern to repeat against them, the world's hostility toward the righteous no surprise given its first instance. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren offers love for fellow believers as evidence of the crossing already made, he that loveth not his brother abideth in death the same fact stated negatively. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer traces hatred to Cain's own root, the Lord's teaching on anger and murder in the Sermon on the Mount standing behind the equation, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him names the settled incompatibility.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He yet stands under the curse and condemnation of the law. This the apostle argues by a clear syllogism: "You know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him; but he who hates his brother is a murderer; and therefore you cannot but know that he who hates his brother hath not eternal life abiding in him,"
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2556: “Life Proved by Love” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
I HAVE heard it said, by those who would be thought philosophers, that in religion we must believe, but cannot know. I am not very clear about the distinction they draw between knowledge and faith, nor do I care to enquire because I assert that, in matters relating to religion, we do know! In the things of God, we both believe and know.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | We ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οἴδαμεν | oidamen | know | ||
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| μεταβεβήκαμεν | metabebekamen | we have passed | G3327 → | |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θανάτου | thanatou | death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζωήν, | zoen | life, | G2222 → | 135 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἀγαπῶμεν | agapomen | we love | G25 → | 143 times |
| τοὺς | tous | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφούς· | adelphous | [our] brothers; | G80 → | 343 times |
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἀγαπῶν | agapon | loving | G25 → | 143 times |
| μένει | menei | abides | G3306 → | 118 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θανάτῳ. | thanato | death. | G2288 → | 120 times |
ἡμεῖςWe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
οἴδαμενknow
oidamen
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
μεταβεβήκαμενwe have passed
metabebekamenG3327 →
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θανάτουdeath
thanatouG2288 →120 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ζωήν,life,
zoenG2222 →135 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἀγαπῶμενwe love
agapomenG25 →143 times
τοὺς<the>
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφούς·[our] brothers;
adelphousG80 →343 times
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἀγαπῶνloving
agaponG25 →143 times
μένειabides
meneiG3306 →118 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θανάτῳ.death.
thanatoG2288 →120 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 5:24Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
it leads to
- John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
- 1 John 5:11–13
And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
- John 6:40
For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- John 3:18
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
- Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- John 3:36
Through
John 13:35By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
it leads to
- 1 John 4:20–21
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
- 1 John 2:5
But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 2:10
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.
- 1 John 4:20–21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About 1 John

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2556: “Life Proved by Love” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
