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.
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;
Darby: 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.
ASV: Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
| τούτῳ | this |
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Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Neuter Singular Root: οὗτος Sense: this. |
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| ἐγνώκαμεν | we have known |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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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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| ἀγάπην | love |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἀγάπη Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence. |
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| ὅτι | because |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| ἡμῶν | us |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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| ψυχὴν | life |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ψυχή Sense: breath. |
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| αὐτοῦ | of Him |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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| ἔθηκεν | laid down |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: τίθημι Sense: to set, put, place. |
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| ὀφείλομεν | ought |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: ὀφείλω Sense: to owe. |
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| τῶν | [our] |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἀδελφῶν | brothers |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive 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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| τὰς | [our] |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ψυχὰς | lives |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural Root: ψυχή Sense: breath. |
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| θεῖναι | to lay down |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: τίθημι Sense: to set, put, place. |
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Greek Commentary for 1 John 3:16
Perfect active indicative, “we have come to know and still know.” See 1 John 2:3 for “hereby” (εν τουτωι en toutōi). [source]
“The thing called love” (D. Smith).He for us (εκεινος υπερ ημων ekeinos huper hēmōn). Εκεινος Ekeinos as in 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, υπερ huper here alone in this Epistle, though common in John‘s Gospel (John 10:11, John 10:15; John 11:50, etc.) and in 3 John 1:7.Laid down his life First aorist active indicative of τιτημι tithēmi the very idiom used by Jesus of himself in John 10:11, John 10:17.We ought (ημεις οπειλομεν hēmeis opheilomen). Emphatic ημεις hēmeis again. For οπειλω opheilō see 1 John 2:6. Of course our laying down our lives for the brethren has no atoning value in our cases as in that of Christ, but is a supreme proof of one‘s love (John 13:37.; John 15:13), as often happens. [source]
Εκεινος Ekeinos as in 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, υπερ huper here alone in this Epistle, though common in John‘s Gospel (John 10:11, John 10:15; John 11:50, etc.) and in 3 John 1:7. [source]
First aorist active indicative of τιτημι tithēmi the very idiom used by Jesus of himself in John 10:11, John 10:17.We ought (ημεις οπειλομεν hēmeis opheilomen). Emphatic ημεις hēmeis again. For οπειλω opheilō see 1 John 2:6. Of course our laying down our lives for the brethren has no atoning value in our cases as in that of Christ, but is a supreme proof of one‘s love (John 13:37.; John 15:13), as often happens. [source]
Emphatic ημεις hēmeis again. For οπειλω opheilō see 1 John 2:6. Of course our laying down our lives for the brethren has no atoning value in our cases as in that of Christ, but is a supreme proof of one‘s love (John 13:37.; John 15:13), as often happens. [source]
See on 1 John 2:3. [source]
Rev., correctly, know. [source]
Omit the italics of A.V., of God, and render as Rev., hereby know we love. [source]
See on John 10:11. [source]
See on 1 John 2:6. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 John 3:16
Literally, in this. Compare 1 John 2:3, 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:16, 1 John 3:19, 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:10, 1 John 4:13, 1 John 4:17; 1 John 5:2. [source]
Setting the Advocate distinctly and sharply before the hearers. The pronoun is used in John's First Epistle, distinctively of our Lord. See 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:17. [source]
The verb means to owe. It occurs several times in John's Epistles (1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:11; 3 John 1:8). In the Gospel only here and John 19:7. Compare Luke 17:10. In Matthew's version of the Lord's prayer occur the two kindred words ὀφείλνμα , debt, and ὀφειλέτης , debtor. Jesus here puts the obligation to ministry as a debt under which His disciples are laid by His ministry to them. The word ought is the past tense of owe. Δεῖ , ought or must (see John 3:7, John 3:14, John 3:30, etc.) expresses an obligation in the nature of things; ὀφείλειν , a special, personal obligation. [source]
The phrase is peculiar to John, occurring in the Gospel and First Epistle. It is explained in two ways: either (1) as laying down as a pledge, paying as a price, according to the classical usage of the word τίθημι . So Demosthenes, to pay interest or the alien tax. Or (2) according to John 13:4, as laying aside his life like a garment. The latter seems preferable. Τίθημι , in the sense of to pay down a price, does not occur in the New Testament, unless this phrase, to lay down the life, be so explained. In John 13:4, layeth aside His garments ( τίδησι τὰ ἱμάτια ) is followed, in John 13:12, by had taken His garments ( ἔλαβε τὰ ἱμάτια ). So, in this chapter, giveth ( τίδησιν ) His life (John 10:11), and I lay down ( τίδημι ) my life (John 10:17, John 10:18), are followed by λαβεῖν “to take it again.” The phrases τὴν ψυχὴν Helaid down His life, and τὰς ψυχὰς θεῖναι tolay down our lives, occur in 1 John 3:16. The verb is used in the sense of laying aside in the classics, as to lay aside war, shields, etc. Compare Matthew 20:28, δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν , to give His life. [source]
Ablative case after the comparative adjective μειζονα meizona and feminine agreeing with της αγαπης tēs agapēs (love) understood. That a man lay down his life Object clause (non-final use of ινα hina in apposition with the ablative pronoun ταυτης tautēs and the second aorist active subjunctive of τιτημι tithēmi). For the phrase see John 10:11 of the good shepherd. Cf. 1 John 3:16; Romans 5:7. For his friends “In behalf of his friends” and so “in place of his friends.” “Self-sacrifice is the high-water mark of love” (Dods). For this use of υπερ huper see John 11:50; Galatians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 5:14.; Romans 5:7. [source]
“The bread the living.” Repetition of the claim in John 6:35, John 6:41, John 6:48, but with a slight change from ζωης zōēs to ζων zōn (present active participle of ζαω zaō). It is alive and can give life. See John 4:10 for living water. In Revelation 1:17 Jesus calls himself the Living One For ever Eternally like αιωνιον aiōnion with ζωην zōēn in John 6:47. I shall give Emphasis on εγω egō (I). Superior so to Moses. Is my flesh See note on John 1:14 for σαρχ sarx the Incarnation. This new idea creates far more difficulty to the hearers who cannot grasp Christ‘s idea of self-sacrifice. For the life of the world Over, in behalf of, υπερ huper means, and in some connexions instead of as in John 11:50. See John 1:30 for the Baptist‘s picture of Christ as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. See also John 3:17; John 4:42; 1 John 3:16; Matthew 20:28; Galatians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 5:14.; Romans 5:8. Jesus has here presented to this Galilean multitude the central fact of his atoning death for the spiritual life of the world. [source]
An obligation, put as a debt. See Luke 17:10, and on debts, Matthew 6:12. The word expresses a special, personal obligation, and not as δεῖ mustan obligation in the nature of things. See John 20:9, and compare 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:11; 3 John 1:8. [source]
Rev., rendering the perfect tense more closely, hath the love of God been perfected. The change in the form of this antithetic clause is striking. He who claims to know God, yet lives in disobedience, is a liar. We should expect as an offset to this: He that keepeth His commandments is of the truth; or, the truth is in him. Instead we have, “In him has the love of God been perfected.” In other words, the obedient child of God is characterized, not by any representative trait or quality of his own personality, but merely as the subject of the work of divine love: as the sphere in which that love accomplishes its perfect work. The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ the love of God, may mean either the love which God shows, or the love of which God is the object, or the love which is characteristic of God whether manifested by Himself or by His obedient child through His Spirit. John's usage is not decisive like Paul's, according to which the love of God habitually means the love which proceeds from and is manifested by God. The exact phrase, the love of God or the love of the Father, is found in 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:9, in the undoubted sense of the love of God to men. The same sense is intended in 1 John 3:1, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 3:16, though differently expressed. The sense is doubtful in 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:12. Men's love to God is clearly meant in 1 John 2:15; 1 John 5:3. The phrase occurs only twice in the Gospels (Luke 6:42; John 5:42), and in both cases the sense is doubtful. Some, as Ebrard, combine the two, and explain the love of God as the mutual relation of love between God and men. It is not possible to settle the point decisively, but I incline to the view that the fundamental idea of the love of God as expounded by John is the love which God has made known and which answers to His nature. In favor of this is the general usage of ἀγάπη lovein the New Testament, with the subjective genitive. The object is more commonly expressed by εἰς towardsor to. See 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Colossians 1:4; 1 Peter 4:8. Still stronger is John's treatment of the subject in ch. 4. Here we have, 1 John 4:9, the manifestation of the love of God in us ( ἐν ἡμῖν ) By our life in Christ and our love to God we are a manifestation of God's love. Directly following this is a definition of the essential nature of love. “In this is love; i.e., herein consists love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us ” (1 John 4:10). Our mutual love is a proof that God dwells in us. God dwelling in us, His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12). The latter clause, it would seem, must be explained according to 1 John 4:10. Then (1 John 4:16), “We have known and believed the love that God hath in us ” (see on John 16:22, on the phrase have love ). “God is love;” that is His nature, and He imparts this nature to be the sphere in which His children dwell. “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God.” Finally, our love is engendered by His love to us. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- In harmony with this is John 15:9. “As the Father loved me, I also loved you. Continue ye in my love.” My love must be explained by I loved you. This is the same idea of divine love as the sphere or element of renewed being; and this idea is placed, as in the passage we are considering, in direct connection with the keeping of the divine commandments. “If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love.”-DIVIDER- This interpretation does not exclude man's love to God. On the contrary, it includes it. The love which God has, is revealed as the love of God in the love of His children towards Him, no less than in His manifestations of love to them. The idea of divine love is thus complex. Love, in its very essence, is reciprocal. Its perfect ideal requires two parties. It is not enough to tell us, as a bare, abstract truth, that God is love. The truth must be rounded and filled out for us by the appreciable exertion of divine love upon an object, and by the response of the object. The love of God is perfected or completed by the perfect establishment of the relation of love between God and man. When man loves perfectly, his love is the love of God shed abroad in his heart. His love owes both its origin and its nature to the love of God. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The word verily ( ἀληθῶς ) is never used by John as a mere formula of affirmation, but has the meaning of a qualitative adverb, expressing not merely the actual existence of a thing, but its existence in a manner most absolutely corresponding to ἀλήθεια truthCompare John 1:48; John 8:31. Hath been perfected. John is presenting the ideal of life in God. “This is the love of God that we keep His commandments.” Therefore whosoever keepeth God's word, His message in its entirety, realizes the perfect relation of love. [source]
Lit., in this. Characteristic of John. See John 8:35; John 15:8; John 16:30; 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:13; 1 John 5:2; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 3:19; 1 John 4:2. The expression points to what follows, “if we keep His commandments,” yet with a covert reference to that idea as generally implied in the previous words concerning fellowship with God and walking in the light. [source]
See this phrase also in 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:16, 1 John 3:19, 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:2, 1 John 4:13; 1 John 5:2. That is explained by the εαν ean clause, “if we keep his commandments” (εαν τηρωμεν ean tērōmen condition of the third class, εαν ean with present active subjunctive, “if we keep on keeping”), the clause itself in apposition with τουτωι toutōi (locative case). [source]
Constative aorist active indicative summing up the life of Christ on earth with the emphatic use of the demonstrative εκεινος ekeinos in reference to Christ as in 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:17; John 7:11; John 9:12, John 9:28; John 19:21. [source]
Construed with the verb τετελειωται teteleiōtai (is perfected). In contrast to εν ημιν en hēmin (1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:16), emphasising cooperation. “God works with man” (Westcott). For boldness That is Christ as in 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:16. Same tense (present) as in 1 John 3:7. “Love is a heavenly visitant” (David Smith). We are in this world to manifest Christ. [source]
That is Christ as in 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:16. Same tense (present) as in 1 John 3:7. “Love is a heavenly visitant” (David Smith). We are in this world to manifest Christ. [source]
See on Mark 12:30; see on Luke 1:46. The soul ( ψυχή ) is the principle of individuality, the seat of personal impressions. It has a side in contact with both the material and the spiritual element of humanity, and is thus the mediating organ between body and spirit. Its meaning, therefore, constantly rises above life or the living individual, and takes color from its relation to either the emotional or the spiritual side of life, from the fact of its being the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions, and the bearer and manifester of the divine life-principle ( πνεῦμα ). Consequently ψυχή is often used in our sense of heart (Luke 1:46; Luke 2:35; John 10:24; Acts 14:2); and the meanings of ψυχή souland πνεῦμα spiritoccasionally approach each other very closely. Compare John 12:27, and John 11:33; Matthew 11:29, and 1 Corinthians 16:18. Also both words in Luke 1:47. In this passage ψυχή soulexpresses the soul regarded as moral being designed for everlasting life. See Hebrews 6:19; Hebrews 10:39; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:19. John commonly uses the word to denote the principle of the natural life. See John 10:11, John 10:15; John 13:37; John 15:13; 1 John 3:16; Revelation 8:9; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 16:3. [source]
See for this word 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:11. [source]