the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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New Living Translation
1 John 3:16
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This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for each other as brothers and sisters.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Herby perceave we love: that he gave his lyfe for vs: and therfore ought we also to geve oure lyves for the brethre.
By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
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.
This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Hereby we know love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
By this we perceive the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.
By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
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.
We know what love is--through Christ's having laid down His life on our behalf; and in the same way we ought to lay down our lives for our brother men.
In this thing we han knowe the charite of God, for he puttide his lijf for vs, and we owen to putte oure lyues for oure britheren.
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That's why we must give our lives for each other.
By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers.
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.
The way that we have come to know love is through his having laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers!
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.
This is how we have come to know love: Christhe">[fn] gave his life for us. We, too, ought to give our lives for our brothers.John 3:16; 15:13; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 5:2,25; Ephesians 5:2,25, 1 John 4:9,11;">[xr]
In this we know His love toward us, that he gave himself for us; (so) also it is right for us for the sake of our brethren to give ourselves.
By this we know his love towards us, because he gave up his life for us: . and we also ought to give up our lives for our brethren.
Hereby perceiue wee the loue of God, because he layd downe his life for vs, and wee ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren.
We know what love is because Christ gave His life for us. We should give our lives for our brothers.
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Hereby haue we perceiued loue, that he layde downe his life for vs: therefore we ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren.
By this we know his love for us, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for our brethren.
Hereby, have we come to understand love: in that, He, for us, his life laid down; and, we, ought, for the brethren, our lives to lay down.
In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Hereby perceaue we loue, because he layde downe his lyfe for vs, & we ought to lay downe our lyues for the brethren.
This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!
This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
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.
We have come to know love by this: that he laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers.
By this we have known the love of God , because that One laid down His life for us; and on behalf of the brothers we ought to lay down our lives.
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;
Hereby haue we perceaued loue, that he gaue his life for vs, and therfore ought we also to geue oure lyues for the brethre.
this is the proof of the divine love, Christ expos'd his life for us: and we ought to expose our lives for the brethren.
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.
We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
This is the definition of love: Christ gave his life for us. We ought to do the same for others.
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
perceive: 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:10, Matthew 20:28, John 3:16, John 10:15, John 15:13, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:25, Titus 2:13, 1 Peter 1:18, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 5:9
and we: 1 John 2:6, 1 John 4:11, John 13:34, John 15:12, John 15:13, Romans 16:4, Philippians 2:17, Philippians 2:30
Reciprocal: Genesis 44:33 - instead Leviticus 16:10 - to make Deuteronomy 15:7 - thou shalt Deuteronomy 15:11 - Thou shalt Deuteronomy 15:15 - General Judges 5:18 - their lives 1 Chronicles 21:17 - let thine Psalms 112:9 - dispersed Proverbs 24:11 - General Song of Solomon 5:4 - my bowels Ezekiel 18:7 - hath given Matthew 5:42 - General Matthew 25:35 - I was an Mark 8:34 - follow Mark 14:7 - ye have Luke 10:31 - he passed Luke 10:37 - Go Luke 11:41 - rather Luke 12:17 - shall John 14:24 - that John 21:17 - Feed Acts 2:44 - had Acts 20:24 - neither Romans 5:7 - scarcely 1 Corinthians 13:4 - is kind 1 Corinthians 13:5 - seeketh 2 Corinthians 4:12 - death 2 Corinthians 8:4 - the ministering 2 Corinthians 13:14 - the love Galatians 1:4 - gave Galatians 4:15 - if Galatians 5:13 - but Ephesians 6:20 - boldly 1 Thessalonians 2:8 - but 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - which James 2:16 - one 1 Peter 2:21 - leaving 2 Peter 1:7 - brotherly 1 John 4:16 - we
Cross-References
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?"
The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.
Then the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"
He replied, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked."
"Who told you that you were naked?" the Lord God asked. "Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?"
The man replied, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it."
Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you."
And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Hereby perceive we the love [of God],.... The phrase "of God" is not in the Oriental versions, nor in the Greek copies, but is in the Complutensian edition, and in the Vulgate Latin version, and is favoured by the Syriac version, which reads, "by this we know his love to us"; and so the Ethiopic version, "by this we know his love". That is, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is truly and properly God, the great God, the mighty God, the true God, and God over all, blessed for ever. His love is manifested to his people, and perceived by them in various instances; but in nothing is it more clearly seen than in the following one:
because he laid down his life for us: of the life of Christ, and his laying it down in the room of his people, :-, which shows his love, his free grace and favour; for this arose not from any merit or worth in the persons he died for; not from their love, loveliness, or duty, but from his rich mercy, and the great love wherewith he loved them; and which, though it cannot be equalled, should be imitated:
and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren: not in such sense, or for such ends and purposes, as Christ laid down his life for us; for no man, as by giving his money, so by laying down his life, can redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him: but the meaning is, that saints ought to risk their lives, and expose themselves to dangers, for the sake of their brethren, when they are called to it, and the case requires it: as Priscilla and Aquila laid down their necks, or ventured their lives for the Apostle Paul, Romans 16:3; and they should also, when called unto it, freely lay down their lives in the cause of Christ, and for the sake of his Gospel, for the gaining of souls to Christ, and for the confirming of the faith of the brethren in him, as the apostles of Christ, and the martyrs of Jesus, have done; this is an argument for brotherly love, in the highest instance of it, taken from the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, than which nothing is more forcible, or can lay a greater obligation on the saints.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Hereby perceive we the love of God - The words “of God” are not in the original, and should not have been introduced into the translation, though they are found in the Latin Vulgate, and in the Genevan versions, and in one manuscript. They would naturally convey the idea that “God” laid down his life for us; or that God himself, in his divine nature, suffered. But this idea is not expressed in this passage as it is in the original, and of course no argument can be derived from it either to prove that Christ is God, or that the divine nature is capable of suffering. The original is much more expressive and emphatic than it is with this addition: “By this we know love;” that is, we know what true love is; we see a most affecting and striking illustration of its nature. “Love itself” - its real nature, its power, its sacrifices, its influences - was seen in its highest form, when the Son of God gave himself to die on a cross. For an illustration of the sentiment, see the notes at John 3:16; John 15:13.
Because he laid down his life for us - There can be no doubt that the Saviour is here referred to, though his name is not mentioned particularly. There are several instances in the New Testament where he is mentioned under the general appellation “he,” as one who was well known, and about whom the writers were accustomed to speak.
And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren - For the good of our fellow Christians, if it be necessary. That is, circumstances may occur where it would be proper to do it, and we ought always to be ready to do it. The spirit which led the Saviour to sacrifice his life for the good of the church, should lead us to do the same thing for our brethren if circumstances should require it. That this is a correct principle no one can doubt; for:
(1)The Saviour did it, and we are bound to imitate his example, and to possess his spirit;
(2)The prophets, apostles, and martyrs did it, laying down their lives in the cause of truth, and for the good of the church and the world; and,
(3)It has always been held that it is right and proper, in certain circumstances, for a man to lay down his life for the good of others.
So we speak of the patriot who sacrifices his life for the good of his country; so we feel in the case of a shipwreck, that it may be the duty of a captain to sacrifice his life for the good of his passengers and crew; so in case of a pestilential disease, a physician should not regard his own life, if he may save others; and so we always hold the man up to honor who is willing to jeopard his own life on noble principles of self-denial for the good of his fellow-men. In what cases this should occur the apostle does not state; but the general principle would seem to be, that it is to be done when a greater good would result from our self-sacrifice than from carefully guarding our own lives. Thus, in the case of a patriot, his death, in the circumstances, might be of greater value to his country than his life would be; or, his exposing himself to death would be a greater service to his country, than if that should not be done.
Thus, the Saviour laid down his life for the good of mankind; thus the apostles exposed their lives to constant peril in extending the principles of religion; and thus the martyrs surrendered their lives in the cause of the church and of truth. In like manner, we ought to be ready to hazard our lives, and even to lay them down, if in that way we may promote the cause of truth, and the salvation of sinners, or serve our Christian brethren. In what way this injunction was understood by the primitive Christians, may be perceived from what the world is reported to have said of them, “Behold, how they love one another; they are ready to die for one another.” - Tertullian, Apol. c. 39. So Eusebius (Eccl. His. vii. 22) says of Christians, that “in a time of plague they visited one another, and not only hazarded their lives, but actually lost them in their zeal to preserve the lives of others.” We are not indeed to throw away our lives; we are not to expose them in a rash, reckless, imprudent manner; but when, in the discharge of duty, we are placed in a situation where life is exposed to danger, we are not to shrink from the duty, or to run away from it. Perhaps the following would embrace the principal instances of the duty here enjoined by the apostle:
- We ought to have such love for the church that we should be willing to die for it, as patriot is willing to die for his country.
(2)We ought to have such love for Christians as to be willing to jeopard our lives to aid them - as in case of a pestilence or plague, or when they are in danger by fire, or flood, or foes.
(3)We ought to have such love for the truth as to be willing to sacrifice our lives rather than deny it.
(4)We ought to have such love for the cause of our Master as to be willing to cross oceans, and snows, and sands; to visit distant and barbarous regions, though at imminent risk of our lives, and though with the prospect that we shall never see our country again.
(5)We ought to have such love for the church that we shall engage heartily and constantly in services of labor and self-sacrifice on its account, until, our work being done, exhausted nature shall sink to rest in the grave. In one word, we should regard ourselves as devoted to the service of the Redeemer, living or dying to be found engaged in his cause. If a case should actually occur where the question would arise whether a man would abandon his Christian brother or die, he ought not to hesitate; in all cases he should regard his life as consecrated to the cause of Sion and its friends. Once, in the times of primitive piety, there was much of this spirit in the world; how little, it is to be feared, does it prevail now!
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God — This sixteenth verse of this third chapter of John's first epistle is, in the main, an exact counterpart of the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of St. John's gospel: God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, c. Here the apostle says, We perceive, εγνωκαμεν, we have known, the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. Of God is not in the text, but it is preserved in one MS., and in two or three of the versions but though this does not establish its authenticity, yet τουθεου, of God, is necessarily understood, or τουχριστου, of Christ, as Erpen's Arabic has it; or αυτουειςημας, his love to us, as is found in the Syriac. A higher proof than this of his love Christ could not have possibly given to the children of men.
We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. — We should risk our life to save the lives of others; and we should be ready to lay down our lives to redeem their souls when this may appear to be a means of leading them to God.
