1 John 3:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

NIV: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

NASB: We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.

CSB: This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

NLT: We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

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.

NKJV: By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

In contrast to the person who hates or murders (1 John 3:15), the ultimate sign of love is to lay down one's life for others. Jesus gave the supreme example of this kind of love by giving His own life on behalf of the sins of the world (John 3:16; Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is the ultimate example of how we ought to live our lives (John 13:15–17).

But what does it look like to lay down our life for the brothers? John certainly had in mind more than physical death, though this could certainly apply. Verses 17 and 18 add additional details about how to help others in need, and to show that God's love abides in us (1 John 3:17). This includes helping those in need through actions and truth (1 John 3:18). God desires believers to both know the word and live it out (James 1:22), not merely to "feel" love and not act to benefit other people (Matthew 15:4–9).

First John 3:11–18 describes the contrast between hate and love, and how love ought to be seen in the life of a Christian believer. Evil has a jealous hatred for good. This is why Cain killed Abel, and why hatred is considered the spiritual equivalent to murder. Christians are expected to do more than feel love, they are commanded to act on it, in selfless sacrifice.

The third chapter of 1 John focuses mostly on the concept of love. Because of His love, God not only calls us His children, He actually makes us His children. John also explains how sin, including hate, is never the result of a proper relationship with God. Christians, in contrast to the world, are supposed to do more than simply ''feel'' love; we are to act on it, as well

Chapters 1 and 2 introduced the stark differences between those who truly have fellowship with Christ, as opposed to those who are ''in darkness.'' Chapter 3 continues this discussion, with a particular emphasis on love. This serves as a bridge, between John's descriptions of lives lived abiding either in darkness or light, to an explanation of how God's faithfulness gives us confidence as Christian believers.

First John seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the gospel. Rather than re-state these facts, John is concerned with building confidence in Christian believers. At the same time, his words encourage believers to examine their own lives for signs of their relationship with Christ. This letter also challenges false teachers and their incorrect claims about Jesus. Many themes are shared with the Gospel of John.

Accessed 4/27/2024 11:35:59 AM