1 John 5:3
in 1 John 5For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
KJV
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
⋯
This verse in 1 John 5
Commentary
24 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments - This constitutes true love; this furnishes the evidence of it. And his commandments are not grievous - Greek, “heavy” - βαρεῖαι bareiai; that is, difficult to be borne as a burden. See Mat 11:30. The meaning is, that his laws are not unreasonable; the duties which he requires are not beyond our ability; his government is not oppressive. It is easy to obey God when the heart is right; and those who endeavor in sincerity to keep his commandments do not complain that they are hard.
This site's exposition
has been born of God
on 1 John 5:1-3
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. Love of God and of His children prove each other. His commandments are not burdensome, as Jesus called His yoke easy.
This site's exposition
His commandments are not burdensome
The love of God takes the form of keeping His commandments. John adds that His commandments are light, and verse 4 gives the reason, the new birth that overcomes the world. Jesus called His yoke easy at Matthew 11:30.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
And by what do we know that we love the sons of God? By this, "that we love God, and do His commandments." We sigh here, by reason of the hardness of doing the commandments of God. Hear what follows. O man, at what toilest thou in loving? In loving avarice. With toil is that loved which thou lovest: there is no toil in loving God. Avarice will enjoin thee labors, perils, sore hardships and tribulations; and thou wilt do its bidding. To what end? That thou mayest have that with which thou shalt fill thy chest, and lose thy peace of mind. Thou didst feel thyself haply more secure before thou hadst it, than since thou didst begin to have. See what avarice has enjoined thee. Thou hast filled thine house, and art in dread of robbers; hast gotten gold, lost thy sleep. See what avarice has enjoined thee. Do, and thou didst. What does God enjoin thee? Love me. Thou lovest gold, thou wilt seek gold, and perchance not find it: whoso seeks me, I am with him. Thou wilt love honor, and perchance not attain unto it: who ever loved me, and did not attain?
God saith to thee, thou wouldest make thee a patron, or a powerful friend: thou seekest a way to his favor by means of another inferior. Love me, saith God to thee: favor with me is not had by making interest with some other: thy love itself makes me present to thee. What sweeter than this love, brethren? It is not without reason that ye heard just now in the Psalm, "The unrighteous told me of delights, but not as is Thy law, O Lord." What is the Law of God? The commandment of God. What is the commandment of God? That "new commandment," which is called new because it maketh new: "A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another." Hear because this is the law of God. The apostle saith, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so shall ye fulfill the law of Christ." This, even this, is the consummation of all our works; Love. In it is the end: for this we run: to it we run; when we are come to it, we shall rest.
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." Already ye have heard, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." See how He would not have thee divide thyself over a multitude of pages: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." On what two commandments? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
See here of what commandments this whole epistle talks. Therefore hold fast love, and set your minds at rest. Why fearest thou lest thou do evil to some man? Who does evil to the man he loves? Love thou: it is impossible to do this without doing good. But it may be, thou rebukest? Kindness does it, not fierceness. But it may be thou beatest? For discipline thou dost this; because thy kindness of love will not let thee leave him undisciplined. And indeed there come somehow these different and contrary results, that sometimes hatred uses winning ways, and charity shows itself fierce. A person hates his enemy, and feigns friendship for him: he sees him doing some evil, he praises him: he wishes him to go headlong, wishes him to go blind over the precipice of his lusts, haply never to return; he praises him, "For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul;" he applies to him the unction of adulation; behold, he hates, and praises.
Another sees his friend doing something of the same sort; he calls him back; if he will not hear, he uses words even of castigation, he scolds, he quarrels: there are times when it comes to this, that one must even quarrel! Behold, hatred shows itself winningly gentle, and charity quarrels! Stay not thy regard upon the words of seeming kindness, or the seeming cruelty of the rebuke; look into the vein they come from; seek the root whence they proceed. The one is gentle and bland that he may deceive, the other quarrels that he may correct.
16 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers5 voices
Well then, it is not for us, brethren, to enlarge your heart: obtain from God the gift to love one another. Love all men, even your enemies, not because they are your brethren, but that they may be your brethren; that ye may be at all times on fire with brotherly love, whether toward him that is become thy brother, or towards thine enemy, so that, by being beloved, he may become thy brother. Wheresoever ye love a brother, ye love a friend. Now is he with thee, now is he knit to thee in unity, yea catholic unity. If thou art living aright, thou lovest a brother made out of an enemy. But thou lovest some man who has not yet believed Christ, or, if he have believed, believes as do the devils: thou rebukest his vanity. Do thou love, and that with a brotherly love: he is not yet a brother, but thou lovest to the end he may be a brother. Well then, all our love is a brotherly love, towards Christians, towards all His members.
The discipline of charity, my brethren, its strength, flowers, fruit, beauty, pleasantness, food, drink, meat, embracing, hath in it no satiety. If it so delight us while in a strange land, in our own country how shall we rejoice!
The substance and ground of the love we ought to have for God is obedience to his commandments.
And if we are called to the kingdom of God, let us walk worthy of the kingdom, loving God and our neighbour. But love is not proved by a kiss, but by kindly feeling. But there are those, that do nothing but make the churches resound with a kiss, not having love itself within. For this very thing, the shameless use of a kiss, which ought to be mystic, occasions foul suspicions and evil reports. The apostle calls the kiss holy.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome. "For this is the love of God." In the superlative (ὑπερθατῷ), that what is proposed should be understood in this way: For this is the love of …
The Medieval Church5 voices
Keeping the commandments is both the form and substance of our love for God. Those who obey them are brought close to God by them. If someone looks at them in the wrong way and says that they are heavy to bear, he is merely …
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. The Lord Himself says this: If anyone loves me, he will keep my word (John XIV). Therefore, the proof of love is the exhibition of work. For we truly love if we constrain …
And His commandments are not burdensome. The Lord Himself says: My yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt. XI). It should not appear contrary to the words of the Lord or blessed John that the Lord Himself says elsewhere that the gate is …
The connection is as follows: love consists in our keeping His commandments, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. Since the apostle pointed to the keeping of the commandments as the full proof of love for God, and some thought that God's commandments were …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The commandments of God are irreproachable, because they contain nothing impossible: whence in First John: "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." He premises: "this is the love of God": for to one having charity …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Then we truly, and in gospel account, love God, when we keep his commandments: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and the keeping of his commandments requires a spirit inclined thereto and delighting herein; and so his commandments are not grievous,
Or, This is the love of God, that, as thereby we are determined to obedience, and to keep the commandments of God, so his commandments are thereby made easy and pleasant to us. The lover of God says, " O how I love thy law!
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
For this is the love of God - The only sure proof of it. That we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous - To any that are born of God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:87%@v3-7
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
this is--the love of God consists in this. not grievous--as so many think them. It is "the way of the transgressor" that "is hard." What makes them to the regenerate "not grievous," is faith which "overcometh the world" (1Jo 5:4): in proportion as faith is strong, the grievousness of God's commandments to the rebellious flesh is overcome.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
For this is the love of God - This the love of God necessarily produces. It is vain to pretend love to God while we live in opposition to his will. His commandments - To love him with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves, are not grievous - are not burdensome; for no man is burdened with the duties which his own love imposes. The old proverb explains the meaning of the apostle’s words, Love feels no loads. Love to God brings strength from God; through his love and his strength, all his commandments are not only easy and light, but pleasant and delightful. On the love of God, as being the foundation of all religious worship, there is a good saying in Sohar Exod., fol. 23, col. 91: “Rabbi Jesa said, how necessary is it that a man should love the holy blessed God! For he can bring no other worship to God than love; and whoever loves him, and worships him from a principle of love, him the holy blessed God calls his beloved.”
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| αὕτη | haute | This | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπη | agape | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ, | theou | of God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐντολὰς | entolas | commandments | G1785 → | 67 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τηρῶμεν· | teromen | we may keep; | G5083 → | 70 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐντολαὶ | entolai | commandments | G1785 → | 67 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| βαρεῖαι | bareiai | burdensome | G926 → | |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εἰσίν. | eisin | are. | G1510 → | 2333 times |
αὕτηThis
hauteG3778 →1381 times
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπηlove
agapeG26 →114 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ,of God,
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἐντολὰςcommandments
entolasG1785 →67 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
τηρῶμεν·we may keep;
teromenG5083 →70 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
ἐντολαὶcommandments
entolaiG1785 →67 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
βαρεῖαιburdensome
bareiaiG926 →
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
εἰσίν.are.
eisinG1510 →2333 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 14:15If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:3–5
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.
- 1 John 5:2–3
By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.
- John 14:21–24
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
- 2 John 1:6
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
- John 15:10–14
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
- 1 John 2:3–5
Through
John 15:10If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
it leads to
- John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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.
- John 14:15
Through
Deuteronomy 7:9Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- Hebrews 10:23
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Obedience35 verses
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About 1 John
This page draws on 16 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); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Augustine of Hippo, Ten Homilies on 1 John 10; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 3; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; 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.