1 John 3:16-24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 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.(A) 17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?(B)
18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.(C) 19 And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him(D) 20 whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.(E)
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.(F) 24 All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.(G)
Read full chapter
1 John 3:16-24
The Voice
16 We know what true love looks like because of Jesus. He gave His life for us, and He calls us to give our lives for our brothers and sisters.
17 If a person owns the kinds of things we need to make it in the world but refuses to share with those in need, is it even possible that God’s love lives in him? 18 My little children, don’t just talk about love as an idea or a theory. Make it your true way of life, and live in the pattern of gracious love.
19-20 There is a sure way for us to know that we belong to the truth. Even though our inner thoughts may condemn us with storms of guilt and constant reminders of our failures, we can know in our hearts that in His presence God Himself is greater than any accusation. He knows all things. 21 My loved ones, if our hearts cannot condemn us, then we can stand with confidence before God. 22 Whatever we may ask, we receive it from Him because we follow His commands and take the path that pleases Him. 23 His command is clear: believe in the name of His Son, Jesus the Anointed, and love one another as He commanded. 24 The one who follows His teaching and walks this path lives in an intimate relationship with God. How do we know that He lives in us? By the gift of His Spirit.
Read full chapter
1 John 3:16-24
The Message
16-17 This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.
When We Practice Real Love
18-20 My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.
21-24 And friends, once that’s taken care of and we’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.
Read full chapter
1 John 3:16-24
New King James Version
The Outworking of Love
16 (A)By this we know love, (B)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But (C)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, (D)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we [a]know (E)that we are of the truth, and shall [b]assure our hearts before Him. 20 (F)For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, (G)we have confidence toward God. 22 And (H)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments (I)and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ (J)and love one another, as He gave [c]us commandment.
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
24 Now (K)he who keeps His commandments (L)abides in Him, and He in him. And (M)by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 John 3:19 NU shall know
- 1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest
- 1 John 3:23 M omits us
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.