1 John 3:16 Parallel Translations

We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers.(GOD'S WORD®)

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.

ASV:

Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

BBE:

In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.

DBY:

Hereby we have known love, because he has laid down his life for us; and we ought for the brethren to lay down our lives.

ERV:

Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

WEY:

We know what love is--through Christ's having laid down His life on our behalf; and in the same way we ought to lay down our lives for our brother men.

WBS:

By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

WEB:

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. John's Second Letter

YLT:

in this we have known the love, because he for us his life did lay down, and we ought for the brethren the lives to lay down;

1 John 3:16 Cross References

XREF:

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Philippians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

1 John 2:9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. (NASB ©1995)

Commentaries and Concordances

GSB:

3:16 {16} 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.
(16) Now he shows how far Christian charity extends, even so far, that according to the example of Christ every man forgets himself, to provide for and help his brethren.

PNT:

3:16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God] because he laid down his life for us. The love of God in Christ is meant. His love is shown on the cross. Christ is love.
And we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren. If we love as he loved, we must be willing even to die for each other.

WES:

3:16 The word God is not in the original. It was omitted by the apostle just as the particular name is omitted by Mary, when she says to the gardener, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence; and by the church, when she says, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, So 1:2; in both which places there is a language, a very emphatical language, even in silence. It declares how totally the thoughts were possessed by the blessed and glorious subject. It expresses also the superlative dignity and amiableness of the person meant, as though He, and He alone, was, or deserved to be, both known and admired by all. Because he laid down his life - Not merely for sinners, but for us in particular. From this truth believed, from this blessing enjoyed, the love of our brethren takes its rise, which may very justly be admitted as an evidence that our faith is no delusion.

MHC:

3:16-21 Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in his heart by the Holy Spirit, if the love of the world and its good overcomes the feelings of compassion to a perishing brother? Every instance of this selfishness must weaken the evidences of a man's conversion; when habitual and allowed, it must decide against him. If conscience condemn us in known sin, or the neglect of known duty, God does so too. Let conscience therefore be well-informed, be heard, and diligently attended to.

CONC:

Behalf Brethren Brother Brothers Christ Christ's Hereby John's Laid Lay Letter Love Ought Perceive

Behalf Christ Christ's Hereby Jesus Lay Love Ought Perceive Right Way

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

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