1 John 3:12
in 1 John 3Do 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
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.
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This verse in 1 John 3
Commentary
15 notes on this verseWe have had the commandment to love one another from the beginning, so that we should not fall into evil as Cain did, who murdered his brother.
This site's exposition
the message you have heard from the beginning
on 1 John 3:11-12
The oldest command returns: We should love one another. Cain is its counter-example, one who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother, the two families of verse 10 given a face. The motive is given: his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
This site's exposition
Do not be like Cain
Cain is the only Old Testament figure named in the letter. Genesis 4 tells how he slew his brother Abel, and John gives the motive, that his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Hatred of what is righteous grew into murder.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"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." Therefore, where envy is, brotherly love cannot be. Mark, my beloved. He that envieth, loveth not. The sin of the devil is in that man; because the devil through envy cast man down. For he fell, and envied him that stood. He did not wish to cast man down that he himself might stand, but only that he might not fall alone. Hold fast in your mind from this that he has subjoined, that envy cannot exist in charity. Thou hast it openly, when charity was praised, "Charity envieth not." There was no charity in Cain; and had there been no charity in Abel, God would not have accepted his sacrifice. For when they had both offered, the one of the fruits of the earth, the other of the offspring of the flock; what think ye, brethren, that God slighted the fruits of the earth, and loved the offspring of the flock? God had not regard to the hands, but saw in the heart: and whom He saw offer with charity, to his sacrifice He had respect; whom He saw offer with envy, from his sacrifice He turned away His eyes. By the good works, then, of Abel, he means only charity: by the evil works of Cain he means only his hatred of his brother. It was not enough that he hated his brother and envied his good works; because he would not imitate, he would kill. And hence it appeared that he was a child of the devil, and hence also that the other was God's righteous one. Hence then are men discerned, my brethren. Let no man mark the tongue, but the deeds and the heart. If any do not good for his brethren, he shews what he has in him. By temptations are men proved.
For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 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 was …
The Medieval Church3 voices
Cain became unrighteous and turned into the very first person who killed a member of his family, thereby teaching human nature the way of murder.
Not as Cain, who was of the evil one, etc. He explains how Cain was of the evil one because he himself had evil deeds. Therefore, where there is envy, brotherly love cannot exist; but the sin of the evil one, that is, the devil, …
The Apostle confirms by example how great an evil it is to hate one's brother. Look, he says, Cain hated his brother and killed him, despite the fact that he was his own brother. Cain performed the evil deeds of his father the devil, while …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Not as Cain,.... That is, let us not be like him, or do as he did, hate the brethren. The apostle illustrates brotherly love by its contrary, in the instance of Cain, who was the first instance and example of hatred of the brethren, and of fratricide, and a very detestable one, by which he would dissuade from so vile and abominable a practice: who was of that wicked one; Satan, a child of his, an imitator of him, one that appeared to be under his influence, and to belong unto him.
Who was of the wicked one - Who showed he was a child of the devil by killing his brother. And wherefore slew he him - For any fault? No, but just the reverse; for his goodness.
Sin, indulged, knows no bound. It proceeded so far, and had in it so much of the devil, that he murdered his brother for religion's sake. He was vexed with the superiority of Abel's service, and envied him the favour and acceptance he had with God.
Ill-will will teach us to hate and revenge what we should admire and imitate. To infer that it is no wonder that good men are so served now: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Not 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? Εκ του πονηρου ην, 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? Εκ του πονηρου εισι. To attempt to justify the principle, and excuse the instigators, authors, abettors, etc., of such wars, is as vain as it is wicked.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Not 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 Gen 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 righteous.” He acted under the influence of envy. He was dissatisfied that his own offering was not accepted, and that his brother’s was. The apostle seems desirous to guard those to whom he wrote against the indulgence of any feelings that were the opposite of love; from anything like envy toward more highly favored brethren, by showing to what this would lead if fairly acted out, as in the case of Cain. A large part of the crimes of the earth have been caused, as in the murder of Abel, by the want of brotherly love. Nothing but love would be necessary to put an end to the crimes, and consequently to a large part of the misery, of the world.
The words behind it
29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| Κάϊν | kain | Cain | G2535 → | |
| ἐκ | ek | [who] of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πονηροῦ | ponerou | evil [one] | G4190 → | 78 times |
| ἦν | en | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔσφαξεν | esphaxen | he slew | G4969 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφὸν | adelphon | brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ· | autou | of him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| χάριν | charin | because of | G5484 → | |
| τίνος | tinos | what | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἔσφαξεν | esphaxen | he slayed | G4969 → | |
| αὐτόν; | auton | him? | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | Because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔργα | erga | works | G2041 → | 168 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πονηρὰ | ponera | evil | G4190 → | 78 times |
| ἦν, | en | were, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τὰ | ta | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοῦ | adelphou | brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| δίκαια.¶ | dikaia | righteous. | G1342 → | 79 times |
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
ΚάϊνCain
kainG2535 →
ἐκ[who] of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
πονηροῦevil [one]
ponerouG4190 →78 times
ἦνwas
enG1510 →2333 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔσφαξενhe slew
esphaxenG4969 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφὸνbrother
adelphonG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦ·of him;
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
χάρινbecause of
charinG5484 →
τίνοςwhat
tinosG5101 →563 times
ἔσφαξενhe slayed
esphaxenG4969 →
αὐτόν;him?
autonG846 →5565 times
ὅτιBecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἔργαworks
ergaG2041 →168 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
πονηρὰevil
poneraG4190 →78 times
ἦν,were,
enG1510 →2333 times
τὰthose
taG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοῦbrother
adelphouG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
δίκαια.¶righteous.
dikaiaG1342 →79 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
Jude 1:11Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
- Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food…
- Genesis 4:3–14
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
- Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he…
- Numbers 16:1–35
Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—conducted
- 2 Peter 2:15
Through
Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he…
it leads to
- Genesis 4:3–5
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
- Hebrews 12:24
to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
- 1 John 3:11–12
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
- Genesis 4:3–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 1 John
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN; 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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 John and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 John.