1JN 3:11-24

Love One Another

11That this is the message you heard from the beginning: that we love one another — [3:12] not like Cain, who was of the evil one and slaughtered his brother. And why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, yet those of his brother were righteous. [3:13] Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. [3:14] We ourselves know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brothers. The one not loving remains in death. [3:15] Everyone who is hating his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. [3:16] By this we have known love: that He laid down His life for us — and we ourselves ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. [3:17] Whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother having need, and shuts his heart from him — how does the love of God abide in him? [3:18] Little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in action and in truth. [3:19] And by this we will know that we are of the truth, and we will reassure our heart before Him — [3:20] that if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. [3:21] Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; [3:22] and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things pleasing before Him. [3:23] And this is His commandment: that we believe the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He gave us commandment. [3:24] The one keeping His commandments abides in Him, and He in him; and by this we know that He abides in us: by the Spirit He gave us.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, the command to 'love one another' would have resonated deeply within the context of communal identity and social cohesion. The reference to Cain and Abel draws on a well-known Jewish narrative, emphasizing the destructive consequences of envy and hatred, which were seen as antithetical to communal harmony. The term (evil) here implies active malice, a deliberate choice to harm, which would have been understood as a grave moral failure in a society that valued honor and relational integrity. The contrast between death and life would have been understood not just biologically but existentially, reflecting a state of alienation versus belonging within the community. The mention of (heart) evokes the visceral, emotional depth of genuine love, contrasting with the superficial or transactional relationships common in Roman patronage systems. The warning about being hated by the world reflects the early Christian experience of social ostracism and persecution, underscoring the countercultural nature of their love ethic.

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How other translations render this

1JN 3:11

KJV: For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
BSB: This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
Koinōnos: That this is the message you heard from the beginning: that we love one another —

1JN 3:12

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.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: not like Cain, who was of the evil one and slaughtered his brother. And why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, yet those of his brother were righteous.

1JN 3:13

KJV: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
BSB: So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.
Koinōnos: Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

1JN 3:14

KJV: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
BSB: We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
Koinōnos: We ourselves know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brothers. The one not loving remains in death.

1JN 3:15

KJV: Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
BSB: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.
Koinōnos: Everyone who is hating his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1JN 3:16

KJV: Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: By this we have known love: that He laid down His life for us — and we ourselves ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1JN 3:17

KJV: But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
BSB: 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?
Koinōnos: Whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother having need, and shuts his heart from him — how does the love of God abide in him?

1JN 3:18

KJV: My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
BSB: Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
Koinōnos: Little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in action and in truth.

1JN 3:19

KJV: And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
BSB: And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:
Koinōnos: And by this we will know that we are of the truth, and we will reassure our heart before Him —

1JN 3:20

KJV: For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
BSB: Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.
Koinōnos: that if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

1JN 3:21

KJV: Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
BSB: Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
Koinōnos: Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

1JN 3:22

KJV: And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
BSB: and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
Koinōnos: and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things pleasing before Him.

1JN 3:23

KJV: And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
BSB: And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.
Koinōnos: And this is His commandment: that we believe the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He gave us commandment.

1JN 3:24

KJV: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
BSB: Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.
Koinōnos: The one keeping His commandments abides in Him, and He in him; and by this we know that He abides in us: by the Spirit He gave us.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1JN 3:12

evil [one]:The word translated 'evil' here often described something that was not merely bad, but actively harmful, malicious, and destructive in its nature or effect.

1JN 3:14

death:The term used here for 'death' referred to the cessation of life, whether natural or violent, and could also imply the state of being separated from God.

1JN 3:16

life:The word translated 'life' here refers to one's soul or inner being, often used to mean one's very existence or self, which could be put at risk.

1JN 3:17

heart:The word translated 'heart' here literally referred to the inner organs, like the intestines, and was understood as the seat of deep emotions, compassion, and affection.