1 John 3:12-22

12 not as Cain was of the wicked one, and slew his brother; and on account of what slew he him? because his works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous.

13 Do not wonder, brethren, if the world hate you.

14 *We* know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [his] brother abides in death.

15 Every one that hates his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 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.

17 But whoso may have the world's substance, and see his brother having need, and shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him?

18 Children, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth.

19 And hereby we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall persuade our hearts before him --

20 that if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness towards God,

22 and whatsoever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and practise the things which are pleasing in his sight.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. 'the.'
• [b]. Oida, as ch. 2.29.
• [c]. Perfect tense, as ch. 2.3.
• [d]. 'What is necessary to life,' 'subsistence.'
• [e]. Or 'assure.'
• [f]. Subjunctive. 'That,' ver. 20, refers to 'hereby' in ver. 19. It is showing what tests 'in truth.' The repetition of 'that' is nothing uncommon. It is found in Eph. 2.11,12. What 'hereby' refers to very commonly follows in John, as in vers. 16,24, and ch. 4.17, and elsewhere, frequently indeed with 'that.' 'God being greater' is evidently a testing, searching thing.
• [g]. Subjunctive, as ver. 20, and ch. 1.6,7.
• [h]. Poieo, as ch. 1.6; 2.17 (does), 29; 3.4,7,8,9,22: see Rom. 1.32.