Focused Passage

1 John 3:11-18

Children of God, Practicing Righteousness, and Loving One Another

The chapter moves from the Father’s love in making believers children of God to the family resemblance of righteousness, love, confidence before God, and Spirit-confirmed abiding.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

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.

13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.

16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Cross-references

John 13:31 BSB references Romans 12:9 BSB references John 13:34 Classic cross-references 1 John 2:7 Classic cross-references John 15:12 Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Classic cross-references 2 John 1:5 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

- Ὅτι G3754 Conjunction This αὕτη G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ἐστὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular message ἀγγελία G31 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - ἣν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular you have heard ἠκούσατε G191 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural from ἀπ’ G575 Preposition [the] beginning ἀρχῆς G746 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - ἵνα G2443 Conjunction We should love ἀγαπῶμεν G25 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural one another ἀλλήλους G240 Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural

Verse 12

Cross-references

John 8:44 Classic cross-references Hebrews 11:4 Classic cross-references Genesis 4:4 Classic cross-references Jude 1:11 Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 4:4 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

[Do] not [be] οὐ G3756 Adverb like καθὼς G2531 Adverb Cain Κάϊν G2535 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular [who] belonged to ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular evil [one] πονηροῦ G4190 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction murdered ἔσφαξεν G4969 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸν G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular And καὶ G2532 Conjunction why χάριν G5484 Preposition . . . τίνος G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular did [Cain] slay ἔσφαξεν G4969 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular him αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular [own] τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural deeds ἔργα G2041 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural were ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular evil πονηρὰ G4190 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural while δὲ G1161 Conjunction those τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural of τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular brother ἀδελφοῦ G80 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular [were] righteous δίκαια G1342 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural

Verse 13

Cross-references

Romans 12:2 Classic cross-references Matthew 10:22 Classic cross-references John 15:18 Classic cross-references John 17:14 Classic cross-references 1 John 2:9 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

[So] καὶ G2532 Conjunction {do} not Μὴ G3361 Adverb be surprised θαυμάζετε G2296 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural if εἰ G1487 Conjunction the ὁ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular world κόσμος G2889 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular hates μισεῖ G3404 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural

Verse 14

Cross-references

Psalms 133:1 Classic cross-references Matthew 5:22 Classic cross-references Colossians 1:13 Classic cross-references John 5:24 Classic cross-references John 13:34 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links

Original words

We Ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural know οἴδαμεν G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction we have passed μεταβεβήκαμεν G3327 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural from ἐκ G1537 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular death θανάτου G2288 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular life ζωήν G2222 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction we love ἀγαπῶμεν G25 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural [our] τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφούς G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural The [one who] ὁ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb does not love ἀγαπῶν G25 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular remains μένει G3306 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular death θανάτῳ G2288 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Matthew 5:21 Classic cross-references Revelation 21:8 Classic cross-references John 8:44 Classic cross-references Proverbs 26:24 Classic cross-references Genesis 4:2 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Everyone πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular who ὁ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular hates μισῶν G3404 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸν G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular is ἐστίν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a murderer ἀνθρωποκτόνος G443 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction you know οἴδατε G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction eternal αἰώνιον G166 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular life ζωὴν G2222 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular {does} not οὐκ G3756 Adverb - ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular reside μένουσαν G3306 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular a πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular murderer ἀνθρωποκτόνος G443 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Romans 5:8 Classic cross-references 1 John 4:9 Classic cross-references Ephesians 5:2 Classic cross-references John 13:34 Classic cross-references John 3:16 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

By Ἐν G1722 Preposition this τούτῳ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular we know ἐγνώκαμεν G1097 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural what τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular love [is] ἀγάπην G26 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction [Jesus] ἐκεῖνος G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular laid down ἔθηκεν G5087 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular life ψυχὴν G5590 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular for ὑπὲρ G5228 Preposition us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction we ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural ought ὀφείλομεν G3784 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural to lay down θεῖναι G5087 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active [our] τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural lives ψυχὰς G5590 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural for ὑπὲρ G5228 Preposition [our] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφῶν G80 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural

Verse 17

Cross-references

James 1:27 Classic cross-references Hebrews 13:16 Classic cross-references 1 John 2:15 Classic cross-references 1 John 4:20 Classic cross-references Isaiah 58:7 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

- δ’ G1161 Conjunction If ἂν G302 Particle anyone ὃς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular with ἔχῃ G2192 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular earthly κόσμου G2889 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular possessions βίον G979 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction sees θεωρῇ G2334 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸν G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular [in] ἔχοντα G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular need χρείαν G5532 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [but] καὶ G2532 Conjunction withholds κλείσῃ G2808 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural compassion σπλάγχνα G4698 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural from ἀπ’ G575 Preposition him αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular how πῶς G4459 Adverb {can} the ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular love ἀγάπη G26 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular abide μένει G3306 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

James 2:15 Classic cross-references Hebrews 10:24 Classic cross-references Romans 12:9 Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:15 Classic cross-references Luke 10:27 Classic cross-references James 2:15-17 OliveGrove study links John 15:12-13 OliveGrove study links John 5:24 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Little children Τεκνία G5040 Noun - Vocative Neuter Plural let us love ἀγαπῶμεν G25 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural not μὴ G3361 Adverb in word λόγῳ G3056 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular [and] μηδὲ G3366 Conjunction - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular speech γλώσσῃ G1100 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction in ἐν G1722 Preposition action ἔργῳ G2041 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction truth ἀληθείᾳ G225 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular

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