1 John 3:10
in 1 John 3By 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
KJV
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
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This verse in 1 John 3
Commentary
19 notes on this verseA commentator
CyprianTreatise XII. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews. · Written before 258.
That charity and brotherly affection are to be religiously and stedfastly practised. ...Of this same thing in the Epistle of John: "In this appear the children of God and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not righteous is not of God, and he who loveth not his brother. For he who hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
This site's exposition
God’s seed abides in him
on 1 John 3:9-10
The present tense of he cannot go on sinning names settled practice, which the new birth rules out, because God’s seed abides in him. The provision of 1:9 for sins confessed still stands. Verse 10 tells the two families apart by two marks, practicing righteousness and loving his brother.
This site's exposition
By this the children of God are distinguished
The chapter now draws a plain line between the children of God and the children of the devil. Two marks show which family a person belongs to, practicing righteousness and loving a brother. The second mark leads into the teaching on love at verse 11.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Everyone who is born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this, the children of God and the children of the Devil are obvious. Whoever does not practice righteousness is …
"In this are manifested the children of God and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not righteous is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." Aye, now indeed it is manifest of what he speaks: "Neither he that loveth not his brother." Therefore, love alone puts the difference between the children of God and the children of the devil. Let them all sign themselves with the sign of the cross of Christ; let them all respond, Amen; let all sing Alleluia; let all be baptized, let all come to church, let all build the walls of churches: there is no discerning of the children of God from the children of the devil, but only by charity. They that have charity are born of God: they that have it not, are not born of God. A mighty token, a mighty distinction! Have what thou wilt; if this alone thou have not, it profiteth thee nothing: other things if thou have not, have this, and thou hast fulfilled the law. "For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law," saith the apostle: and, "Charity is the fulfilling of the law." I take this to be the pearl which the merchant man in the Gospel is described to have been seeking, who "found one pearl, and sold all that he had, and bought it." This is the pearl of price, Charity, without which whatever thou mayest have, profiteth thee nothing: which if alone thou have, it sufficeth thee.
And the apostles, who speak of God, in establishing the truth of the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, have each of them indicated the appearing of these abominable and ruin-working men, and have openly announced their lawless deeds. First of all Peter, the rock of the faith, whom Christ our God called blessed, the teacher of the Church, the first disciple, he who has the keys of the kingdom, has instructed us to this effect: "Know this first, children, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies." After him, John the theologian, and the beloved of Christ, in harmony with him, cries, "The children of the devil are manifest; and even now are there many antichrists; but go not after them. Believe not every spirit, because many false prophets are gone out into the world." And then Jude, the brother of James, speaks in like manner: "In the last times there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. There be they who, without fear, feed themselves." You have observed the concord of the theologians and apostles, and the harmony of their doctrine.
Wherein? except it be (thus): the former by not sinning, from the time that they were born from God; the latter by sinning, because they are from the devil, just as if they never were born from God? But if he says, "He who is not righteous is not of God," how shall he who is not modest again become (a son) of God, who has already ceased to be so?
A commentator
Clement of AlexandriaFrom the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.
proposed
"Thus we know the children of God, as likewise the children of the devil," who choose things like the devil; for so also they are said to be of the wicked one.
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
Since a person who walks in righteousness is born of God, it follows that someone who is so born will love his brothers. Someone who lacks righteousness because he does not practice it, but instead hates his brother, is not born of God.
The chief author of sin is the devil, the begetter of all sin. Before him, no one sinned. Nor did he sin because he was by nature prone to sin (since in that case the responsibility for his sin would lie with his Creator). Rather, being created good he became a devil by his own free choice, receiving that name from his willed action. Though he was originally an archangel, he became a slanderer (diabolos), because of his slandering.
The Medieval Church3 voices
Love is the mark of sinlessness, and hate is the mark of sin. Since the person who walks in righteousness is born of God, it follows that someone who is so born will love the brothers, whereas someone who does not have this new birth …
By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are made manifest, etc. Therefore, only love distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil. Those who have charity are born of God. Those who do not have it …
Everyone who commits sin, because he sins, is of the devil and is called a son of the devil, as the Apostle Paul said to Elymas: "son of the devil! will you not cease to pervert the straight ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10). Evidently, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Now the seed of the serpent is known by these two signatures:-- 1. By neglect of religion: Whosoever doeth not righteously (omits and disregards the rights and dues of God; for religion is but our righteousness towards God, or giving him his due, and whosoever does not conscientiously do this) is not of God, but, on the contrary, of the devil.
True Christians are to be loved for God's and Christ's sake. Those who so love them not, but despise, and hate, and persecute them, have the serpentine nature still abiding in them. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
In this the children of God are manifest,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
In this the children of God are manifest - Here is a fearful text. Who is a child of the devil? He that commits sin. Who is a child of God? He that works righteousness. By this text we shall stand or fall before God, whatever our particular creed may say to the contrary. Neither he that loveth not his brother - No man is of God who is not ready on all emergencies to do any act of kindness for the comfort, relief, and support of any human being.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
There is no middle class between the children of God and the children of the devil. doeth not righteousness--Contrast 1Jo 2:29. he that loveth not his brother-- (1Jo 4:8); a particular instance of that love which is the sum and fulfilment of all righteousness, and the token (not loud professions, or even seemingly good works) that distinguishes God's children from the devil's.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In this the children of God are manifest ... - That is, this furnishes a test of their true character. The test is found in doing righteousness, and in the love of the brethren. The former he had illustrated; the latter he now proceeds to illustrate. The general idea is, that if a person is not truly a righteous person, and does not love the brethren, he cannot be a child of God. Perhaps by the phrase in this, using a pronoun in the singular number, he means to intimate that an important part of righteousness consists in brotherly love. Whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God - In 1Jn 3:7, he had said that “he that doeth righteousness is of God.” If that is true, then what he here affirms must be true also, that a man who does not righteousness is not of God. The general idea is the same, that no one can be a true Christian who is not in fact a righteous man. Neither he that loveth not his brother - The illustration of this point continues to 1Jn 3:18. The general sense is, that brotherly love is essential to the Christian character, and that he who does not possess it cannot be a Christian. On the nature and importance of brotherly love as an evidence of piety, see the notes at Joh 13:34-35.
The words behind it
30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | Through | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| φανερά | phanera | manifest | G5318 → | |
| ἐστιν | estin | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τέκνα | tekna | children | G5043 → | 99 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τέκνα | tekna | children | G5043 → | 99 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διαβόλου. | diabolou | devil. | G1228 → | 37 times |
| πᾶς | pas | Anyone | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ποιῶν | poion | practicing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| δικαιοσύνην | dikaiosunen | righteousness | G1343 → | 92 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ, | theou | God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἀγαπῶν | agapon | loving | G25 → | 143 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφὸν | adelphon | brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ· | autou | of him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
ἐνThrough
enG1722 →2738 times
τούτῳthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
φανεράmanifest
phaneraG5318 →
ἐστινare
estinG1510 →2333 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
τέκναchildren
teknaG5043 →99 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
τέκναchildren
teknaG5043 →99 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
διαβόλου.devil.
diabolouG1228 →37 times
πᾶςAnyone
pasG3956 →1235 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ποιῶνpracticing
poionG4160 →569 times
δικαιοσύνηνrighteousness
dikaiosunenG1343 →92 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ,God,
theouG2316 →1312 times
καὶand also
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἀγαπῶνloving
agaponG25 →143 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφὸνbrother
adelphonG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦ·of him;
autouG846 →5565 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 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him.…
it leads to
- Acts 13:10
and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
- 1 John 3:12
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.
- 1 John 3:8–10
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…
- 2 Corinthians 11:3
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.
- Acts 13:10
Through
Luke 6:35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is…
it leads to
- Matthew 5:44–45
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
- Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- Matthew 5:44–45
Through
1 John 4:8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
it leads to
- 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 John 4:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 John
This page draws on 19 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Augustine of Hippo, Ten Homilies on 1 John 5; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistles of St. John; Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Cyprian, Treatise XII. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews.; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2:4; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN; Hippolytus of Rome, Dubious and Spurious Pieces; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 John; Tertullian, On Modesty and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 John.