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1 John 3:20

in 1 John 3

Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

KJV

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

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This verse in 1 John 3

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
For if our heart condemn us,.... Of want of love to the brethren, and of hypocrisy in it, as well as of any other sin; for the conscience, which is meant by the heart here, is accuser, witness and judge; it accuses of the evil of sin, and is as good as a thousand witnesses; and upon its own testimony pronounces guilty, and condemns.

This site's exposition

we are of the truth

on 1 John 3:19-20

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him grounds assurance in the deed-and-truth love just described, evidence a troubled conscience can rest on. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things answers the accusing conscience with a still greater fact, God's complete knowledge reaching past every failure the heart can name to the settled reality of grace, a comfort read by most teachers as reassurance for the sincere believer's self-doubt rather than license for the unrepentant.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

For if we have not this testimony, if in anything our heart, our own conscience, condemn us, much more does God, who is greater than our heart - An infinitely holier and a more impartial Judge. And knoweth all things - So that there is no hope of hiding it from him.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Conscience is God's vicegerent, calls the court in his name, and acts for him. The answer of a good conscience towards God, 1 Pet. iii. God is chief Judge of the court: If our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart, superior to our heart and conscience in power and judgment; hence the act and judgment of the court are the act and judgment of God; as, 1.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

But thus the same Greek is translated "because" in the beginning, and "(we know) that" in the middle of the verse, and if the verse were consolatory, it probably would have been, "Because EVEN if our heart condemn us," &c.

The words behind it

17 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Psalms 139:1–4O LORD, You have searched me and known me.27 worksJeremiah 17:10I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.26 worksHebrews 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.21 worksJob 13:15Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.21 works1 Corinthians 4:4My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.19 works1 John 4:4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.13 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Jeremiah 23:24“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.10 worksJohn 10:29–30My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.9 worksPsalms 119:2Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart.9 worksPsalms 44:20–21If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,8 worksTitus 3:11knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.7 worksRevelation 2:23Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.7 worksJob 33:12Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.7 worksRomans 2:14–15Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.7 worksJob 27:6I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.6 worksMatthew 21:25What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’6 worksGenesis 3:10“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”6 worksJohn 8:9When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.6 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    1 John 4:4

    You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

    it leads to

    • Romans 8:31

      What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

    • 1 John 5:4

      because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

    • Romans 8:37

      No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

    • 1 John 4:16

      And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

    • 1 Corinthians 2:12

      We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 17:10

    I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 16:7

      But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Romans 8:27

      And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

  • Through

    Hebrews 4:13

    Nothing 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.

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 4:5

      Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…

Where this verse is studied

About 1 John

The Last Supper — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
The Last Supper — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
1 John: the study guide →Read 1 John 3 →

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on 1 John; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 John 3 →