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.
YLT: we -- we have known that we have passed out of the death to the life, because we love the brethren; he who is not loving the brother doth remain in the death.
Darby: 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.
ASV: We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
| οἴδαμεν | know |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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| ὅτι | that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| μεταβεβήκαμεν | we have passed |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: μεταβαίνω Sense: to pass over from one place to another, to remove, depart. |
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| τοῦ | - |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| θανάτου | death |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: θάνατος Sense: the death of the body. |
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| τὴν | - |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ζωήν | life |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ζωή Sense: life. |
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| ὅτι | because |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| ἀγαπῶμεν | we love |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: ἀγαπάω Sense: of persons. |
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| τοὺς | [our] |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἀδελφούς | brothers |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: ἀδελφός Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother. |
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| ὁ | The [one] |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἀγαπῶν | loving |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἀγαπάω Sense: of persons. |
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| μένει | abides |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: μένω Sense: to remain, abide. |
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| τῷ | - |
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Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| θανάτῳ | death |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: θάνατος Sense: the death of the body. |
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Greek Commentary for 1 John 3:14
Emphatic expression of ημεις hēmeis (we) in contrast to the unregenerate world, the Christian consciousness shared by writer and readers. [source]
Perfect active indicative of μεταβαινω metabainō old compound to pass over from one place to another (John 7:3), to migrate, out of death into life. We have already done it while here on earth.Because (οτι hoti). Proof of this transition, not the ground of it.We love the brethren Just this phrase (plural) here alone, but see 1 John 2:9 for the singular.He that loveth not (ο μη αγαπων ho mē agapōn). “The not loving man,” general picture and picture of spiritual death. [source]
Proof of this transition, not the ground of it. [source]
Just this phrase (plural) here alone, but see 1 John 2:9 for the singular.He that loveth not (ο μη αγαπων ho mē agapōn). “The not loving man,” general picture and picture of spiritual death. [source]
“The not loving man,” general picture and picture of spiritual death. [source]
Emphatic; we as distinguished from the world. [source]
Lit., have passed over. [source]
Lit., out of the death. The article marks it as one of the two spheres in which men must be; death or life. The death, the life, present one of those sharp oppositions which are characteristic of the Epistle; as love, hatred; darkness, light; truth, a lie. Ὁ θάνατος thedeath, occurs in John's Epistles only here and in the next clause. In the Gospel, only John 5:24. Personified in Revelation 1:18; Revelation 6:8; Revelation 9:6; Revelation 20:13. [source]
Rev., better, into. Compare enter into the life, Matthew 28:8; Matthew 19:17. [source]
The sign of having passed into life; not the ground. [source]
The only occurrence of the phrase. Elsewhere, love one another, or love his brother. See on 1 John 2:9. [source]
Omit. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 John 3:14
Just before, John means, not twenty-four hours before, that is our Thursday evening (beginning of 15th of Nisan, sunset to sunset Jewish day), since Jesus was crucified on Friday 15th of Nisan. Hence Jesus ate the regular passover meal at the usual time. The whole feast, including the feast of unleavened bread, lasted eight days. For a discussion of the objections to this interpretation of John in connexion with the Synoptic Gospels one may consult my Harmony of the Gospels, pp. 279-84, and David Smith‘s In the Days of His Flesh, Appendix VIII. The passover feast began on the 15th Nisan at sunset, the passover lamb being slain the afternoon of 14th Nisan. There seems no real doubt that this meal in John 13:1-30 is the real passover meal described by the Synoptics also (Mark 14:18-21; Matthew 26:21-25; Luke 22:21-23), followed by the institution of the Lord‘s Supper. Thus understood John 13:1 here serves as an introduction to the great esoteric teaching of Christ to the apostles (John 13:2-17:26), called by Barnas Sears The Heart of Christ. This phrase goes with the principal verb ηγαπησεν ēgapēsen (loved). Knowing Second perfect active participle, emphasizing the full consciousness of Christ. He was not stumbling into the dark as he faced “his hour” See John 18:4; John 19:28 for other examples of the insight and foresight (Bernard) of Jesus concerning his death. See on John 12:23 for use before by Jesus. That he should depart Sub-final use of ινα hina with second aorist active subjunctive of μεταβαινω metabainō old word, to go from one place to another, here (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14) to go from this world (John 8:23) back to the Father from whom he had come (John 14:12, John 14:28; John 16:10, John 16:28; John 17:5). His own which were in the world His own disciples (John 17:6, John 17:9, John 17:11), those left in the world when he goes to the Father, not the Jews as in John 1:11. See Acts 4:23; 1 Timothy 5:8 for the idiom. John pictures here the outgoing of Christ‘s very heart‘s love (chs. John 13-17) towards these men whom he had chosen and whom he loved “unto the end” (εις τελος eis telos) as in Matthew 10:22; Luke 18:15, but here as in 1 Thessalonians 2:16 rather “to the uttermost.” The culmination of the crisis (“his hour”) naturally drew out the fulness of Christ‘s love for them as is shown in these great chapters (John 13-17). [source]
Comp. love of the Spirit, Romans 15:30. In Class. φιλεῖν is the most general designation of love, denoting an inner inclination to persons or things, and standing opposed to μισεῖν or ἐχθαίρειν tohate. It occasionally acquires from the context a sensual flavor, as Hom. Od. xviii. 325; Hdt. iv. 176, thus running into the sense of ἐρᾶν which denotes sensual love. It is love to persons and things growing out of intercourse and amenities or attractive qualities. Στέργειν (not in N.T., lxx, Sirach 27:17) expresses a deep, quiet, appropriating, natural love, as distinguished from that which is called out by circumstances. Unlike φιλεῖν , it has a distinct moral significance, and is not applied to base inclinations opposed to a genuine manly nature. It is the word for love to parents, wife, children, king or country, as one's own. Aristotle (Nic. ix. 7,3) speaks of poets as loving ( στέργοντες ) their own poems as their children. See also Eurip. Med. 87. Ἁγαπᾶν is to love out of an intelligent estimate of the object of love. It answers to Lat. diligere, or Germ. schatzen to prize. It is not passionate and sensual as ἐρᾶν . It is not, like φιλεῖν , attachment to a person independently of his quality and created by close intercourse. It is less sentiment than consideration. While φιλεῖν contemplates the person, ἀγαπᾶν contemplates the attributes and character, and gives an account of its inclination. Ἁγαπᾶν is really the weaker expression for love, as that term is conventionally used. It is judicial rather than affectionate. Even in classical usage, however, the distinction between ἀγαπᾶν and φιλεῖν is often very subtle, and well-nigh impossible to express. In N.T. ἐπιθυμαῖν todesire or lust is used instead of ἐρᾶν . In lxx ἀγαπᾶν is far more common than φιλεῖν . Φιλεῖν occurs only 16 times in the sense of love, and 16 times in the sense of kiss; while ἀγαπᾶν is found nearly 300 times. It is used with a wide range, of the love of parent for child, of man for God, of God for man, of love to one's neighbor and to the stranger, of husband for wife, of love for God's house, and for mercy and truth; but also of the love of Samson for Delilah, of Hosea for his adulterous wife, of Amnon's love for Tamar, of Solomon's love for strange women, of loving a woman for her beauty. Also of loving vanity, unrighteousness, devouring words, cursing, death, silver. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The noun ἀγάπη , oClass., was apparently created by the lxx, although it is found there only 19 times. It first comes into habitual use in Christian writings. In N.T. it is, practically, the only noun for love, although compound nouns expressing peculiar phases of love, as brotherly love, love of money, love of children, etc., are formed with φίλος , as φιλαδελφία, φιλαργυρία, φιλανθρωπία . Both verbs, φιλεῖν and ἀγαπᾶν occur, but ἀγαπᾶν more frequently. The attempt to carry out consistently the classical distinction between these two must be abandoned. Both are used of the love of parents and children, of the love of God for Christ, of Christ for men, of God for men, of men for Christ and of men for men. The love of man for God and of husband for wife, only ἀγαπᾶν . The distinction is rather between ἀγαπᾶν and ἐπιθυμεῖν than between ἀγαπᾶν and φιλεῖν . Love, in this passage, is that fruit of the Spirit which dominates all the others. See Galatians 5:13, Galatians 5:14. Comp. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:9-11; 1 John 3:11, 1 John 3:14-16; 1 John 4:7-11, 1 John 4:16-21; 1 John 5:1-3. [source]
John uses this appeal to knowledge in two forms: we know (1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:14; 1 John 5:18, 1 John 5:19, 1 John 5:20); ye know (1 John 2:20; 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:15). [source]
The difficulty of the passage lies in the explanation of these words. It is impossible to determine their exact meaning with certainty. Some of the many explanations are as follows: Such sin as God punishes with deadly sickness or sudden death. All those sins punished with excommunication (so the older Catholic theologians). An unrepented sin. Envy. A sinful state or condition. The sin by which the Christian falls back from Christian life into death. The anti-Christian denial that Jesus is the Christ. The phrase λαβεῖν ἁμαρτίαν θανητοφόρον toincur a death-bearing sin (A. V., bear sin and die ), occurs Numbers 18:22, Sept., and the distinction between sins unto death and sins not unto death is common in Rabbinic writings. However John's expression may have been suggested by these, it cannot be assumed that they determine the sense in which he uses it. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Life and death in the passage must correspond. Bodily death and spiritual life cannot be meant. The passage must be interpreted in the light of John's utterances elsewhere concerning life and death. In 1 John 5:12, he says: He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. In 1 John 3:14, 1 John 3:15, he says that he that loveth not abideth in death: that he that hateth his brother is a manslayer, and that no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him. These canons of interpretation point to the explanation, in which some of the best authorities agree, that the sin unto death does not refer to a specific act, but to a class or species of sins, the tendency of which is to cut the bond of fellowship with Christ. Hence the passage is in the key-note of fellowship which pervades the Epistle. Whatever breaks the fellowship between the soul and Christ, and, by consequence, between the individual and the body of believers, is unto death, for there is no life apart from Christ. It is indeed true that this tendency inheres in all sin. Sin is essentially death. But a distinction is to be made, as Canon Westcott observes, between sins which flow from human imperfection and infirmity, and sins which are open manifestations of a character alien from God. “All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not unto death.” It must be carefully born in mind in the study of the passage, that John is speaking of sinful acts as revelations of character, and not simply in themselves. So Huther: “Such sinning as is characterized, not by the object with which it is connected, but by the disposition from which it proceeds.” [source]
John‘s usual phrase for the test of the sincerity of our love. “The love of God and the love of the brethren do in fact include each the other” (Westcott). Each is a test of the other. So put 1 John 3:14 with 1 John 5:2. [source]
As in 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:14; 1 John 5:15, 1 John 5:19, 1 John 5:20. He has “ye know” in 1 John 2:20; 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:15. [source]
His fellow-Christian. The singular, brother, is characteristic of this Epistle. See 1 John 2:10, 1 John 2:11; 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:15, 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:20, 1 John 4:21; 1 John 5:16. Christians are called in the New Testament, Christians (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16), mainly by those outside of the Christian circle. Disciples, applied to all followers of Christ (John 2:11; John 6:61) and strictly to the twelve (John 13:5sqq.). In Acts 19:1, to those who had received only John's baptism. Not found in John's Epistles nor in Revelation. Brethren. The first title given to the body of believers after the Ascension (Acts 1:15, where the true reading is ἀδελφῶν brethrenfor μαθητῶν disciples). See Acts 9:30; Acts 10:23; Acts 11:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 John 3:14; 3 John 1:5, 3 John 1:10; John 21:23. Peter has ἡ ἀδελφότης thebrotherhood (1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 5:9). The believers. Under three forms: The believers ( οἱ πιστοί ; Acts 10:45; 1 Timothy 4:12); they that believe ( οἱ πιστεύοντες ; 1 Peter 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; Ephesians 1:19); they that believed ( οἱ πιστεύσαντες ; Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32; Hebrews 4:3). The saints ( οἱ ἅγιοι ); characteristic of Paul and Revelation. Four times in the Acts (Acts 9:13, Acts 9:32, Acts 9:41; Acts 26:10), and once in Jude (Judges 1:3). Also Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 13:24. In Paul, 1 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Ephesians 1:1, Ephesians 1:15, etc. In Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3, Revelation 8:4; Revelation 11:18, etc.|Until now ( ἕως ἄρτι )|Though the light has been increasing, and though he may claim that he has been in the light from the first. The phrase occurs in John 2:10; John 5:17; John 16:24; and is used by Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Corinthians 15:6.| [source]
The sharp issue is maintained here as in Christ's words, “He that is not with me is against me” (Luke 11:23). Men fall into two classes, those who are in fellowship with God, and therefore walk in light and love, and those who are not in fellowship with God, and therefore walk in darkness and hatred. “A direct opposition,” says Bengel; where love is not, there is hatred. “The heart is not empty.” See John 3:20; John 7:7; John 15:18sqq.; John 17:14. The word hate is opposed both to the love of natural affection ( φιλεῖν ), and to the more discriminating sentiment - love founded on a just estimate ( ἀγαπᾶν ). For the former see John 12:25; John 15:18, John 15:19; compare Luke 14:26. For the latter, 1 John 3:14, 1 John 3:15; 1 John 4:20, Matthew 5:43; Matthew 6:24; Ephesians 5:28, Ephesians 5:29. “In the former case, hatred, which may become a moral duty, involves the subjection of an instinct. In the latter case it expresses a general determination of character” (Westcott). [source]