The Meaning of 1 John 3:24 Explained

1 John 3:24

KJV: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

YLT: and he who is keeping His commands, in Him he doth remain, and He in him; and in this we know that He doth remain in us, from the Spirit that He gave us.

Darby: And he that keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given to us.

ASV: And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he that keepeth  his  commandments  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  him.  And  hereby  we know  that  he abideth  in  us,  by  the Spirit  which  he hath given  us. 

What does 1 John 3:24 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Another inclusio helps us identify the theme of this section: God abiding in believers ( 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:16). God abiding in us, as well as we abiding in Him, is essential to our having boldness as we anticipate the judgment seat of Christ ( 1 John 2:28; 1 John 4:17-18). Having boldness as we anticipate the judgment seat of Christ is the subject of the body of this epistle ( 1 John 2:28 to 1 John 4:19).
Obedience results in mutual abiding, God in man and man in God. God "abides" in every obedient believer, but He indwells every believer (cf. John 15:4-5; John 15:7; Romans 8:9). The evidence that God "abides" in us is the manifestation of His Spirit in and through us. This is the first explicit reference to the Holy Spirit in1John.
"Thus, the sentence is a definition of abiding. To abide is to keep his commandments." [1]

Context Summary

1 John 3:13-24 - Loving In Deed And In Truth
Love to the brethren is a sign that we have been born into the family. We may not like them all, yet we can love them. If we love, we live; and if we live in the deepest sense, we shall love; that is, we shall put others first, and our care for them will be tinged with the crimson of sacrifice. Love is not measured by the expressions of the lip or the emotion of the heart, but by the extent to which we will do or suffer.
The believer dares not affirm too much about himself, he is so unworthy and fickle; but God understands us and imputes to us what we would be. Mark in 1 John 3:22 the double condition of prevailing prayer. It is also clear from 1 John 3:23 that men can believe, if they will. God is prepared to impart to those who are wishful all that He commands. Augustine prayed thus: "Give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt." [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 John 3

1  He declares the singular love of God toward us, in making us his sons;
3  who therefore ought obediently to keep his commandments;
11  as also to love one another as brothers

Greek Commentary for 1 John 3:24

And he in him [και αυτος εν αυτωι]
That is “God abides in him” as in 1 John 4:15. We abide in God and God abides in us through the Holy Spirit (John 14:10, John 14:17, John 14:23; John 17:21). “Therefore let God be a home to thee, and be thou the home of God: abide in God, and let God abide in thee” (Bede). [source]
By the Spirit [εκ του πνευματος]
It is thus (by the Holy Spirit, first mention in this Epistle and “Holy” not used with “Spirit” in this Epistle or the Apocalypse) that we know that God abides in us.Which (ου — hou). Ablative case by attraction from accusative ο — ho (object of εδωκεν — edōken) to agree with πνευματος — pneumatos as often, though not always. It is a pity that the grammatical gender (which) is retained here in the English instead of “whom,” as it should be. [source]
Which [ου]
Ablative case by attraction from accusative ο — ho (object of εδωκεν — edōken) to agree with πνευματος — pneumatos as often, though not always. It is a pity that the grammatical gender (which) is retained here in the English instead of “whom,” as it should be. [source]
Abideth in Him and He in Him []
“Therefore let God be a home to thee, and be thou the home of God: abide in God, and let God abide in thee” (Bede). [source]
Spirit []
The first mention of the Spirit in the Epistle. Never found with Holy in the Epistles or Revelation. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 John 3:24

John 16:30 By this [ἐν τούτῳ]
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]
John 6:56 Abideth in me and I in him [εν εμοι μενει καγω εν αυτωι]
Added to the phrase in John 6:54 in the place of εχει ζωην αιωνιον — echei zōēn aiōnion (has eternal life). The verb μενω — menō (to abide) expresses continual mystical fellowship between Christ and the believer as in John 15:4-7; 1 John 2:6, 1 John 2:27, 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:6, 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:16. There is, of course, no reference to the Lord‘s Supper (Eucharist), but simply to mystical fellowship with Christ. [source]
1 Timothy 6:14 Commandment [ἐντολὴν]
Usually of a single commandment or injunction, but sometimes for the whole body of the moral precepts of Christianity, as 2 Peter 2:21; 2 Peter 3:2. The reference may be explained by ἡ παραγγελία thecommandment, 1 Timothy 1:5, meaning the gospel as the divine standard of conduct and faith. Comp. 2 Timothy 1:14. The phrase τηρεῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν tokeep the commandment is Johannine. See John 14:15, John 14:21; John 15:10; 1 John 2:3, 1 John 2:4; 1 John 3:22, 1 John 3:24; 1 John 5:3. [source]
1 John 5:11 Hath given [ἔδωκεν]
The aorist tense, gave. So Rev. The reference is to the historic fact of the gift. So 1 John 3:23: “We should love one another as He gave ( ἔδωκεν ) us commandment.” 1 John 3:24: “We know that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He gave ( ἔδωκεν ) us.” On the other hand, 1 John 3:1: “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed ( δέδωκεν ) upon us.” The gift of love abides in the fact that we are now children of God (1 John 3:2). [source]
1 John 3:3 Every man that hath [πᾶς ὁ ἔχων]
A characteristic form of expression with John, containing “a reference to some who had questioned the application of a general principle in particular cases.” Here to some persons who had denied the practical obligation to moral purity involved in their hope. See 1 John 3:4, 1 John 3:6, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:15, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 5:1, 1 John 5:4, 1 John 5:18; 2 John 1:9. [source]
1 John 2:6 He abideth in Him [ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν]
To abide in God is a more common expression with John than to be in God, and marks an advance in thought. The phrase is a favorite one with John. See John 15:4sqq.; John 6:56; 1 John 2:24, 1 John 2:27, 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:6, 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:12sq.; 1 John 4:15sq. Bengel notes the gradation in the three phrases “to know Him, to be in Him, to abide in Him; knowledge, fellowship, constancy.” [source]
1 John 2:3 Hereby [ἐν τούτῳ]
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]
1 John 2:3 Hereby [εν τουτωι]
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]
1 John 4:4 Because [οτι]
The reason for the victory lies in God, who abides in them (1 John 3:20, 1 John 3:24; John 14:20; John 15:4.). God is greater than Satan, “he that is in the world” (ο εν τωι κοσμωι — ho en tōi kosmōi), the prince of this world (John 12:31; John 14:30), the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), powerful as he seems. [source]
1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess [ος εαν ομολογησηι]
Indefinite relative clause with modal εαν — ean (= an) and the first aorist active subjunctive, “whoever confesses.” See 1 John 2:23; 1 John 4:2. for ομολογεω — homologeō Object clause (indirect assertion) after ομολογεω — homologeō This confession of the deity of Jesus Christ implies surrender and obedience also, not mere lip service (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3; Romans 10:6-12). This confession is proof (if genuine) of the fellowship with God (1 John 1:3.; 1 John 3:24). [source]

What do the individual words in 1 John 3:24 mean?

And the [one] keeping the commandments of Him in Him abides He by this we know that He abides us by the Spirit whom to us He has given
καὶ τηρῶν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει αὐτὸς ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι μένει ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος οὗ ἡμῖν ἔδωκεν

  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τηρῶν  keeping 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τηρέω  
Sense: to attend to carefully, take care of.
ἐντολὰς  commandments 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἐντολή  
Sense: an order, command, charge, precept, injunction.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
μένει  abides 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μένω  
Sense: to remain, abide.
τούτῳ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
γινώσκομεν  we  know 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
μένει  He  abides 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μένω  
Sense: to remain, abide.
ἡμῖν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Πνεύματος  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
οὗ  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἡμῖν  to  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἔδωκεν  He  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.