1 John 3:15

Contextual Overview

¹⁴We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. ¹⁴We have already died and come back to life because we love others. Those who hate are still under the curse of death. ¹⁴ We are conscious that we have come out of death into life because of our love for the brothers. He who has no love is still in death. ¹⁴ *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. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn't love his brother remains in death. ¹⁴ We know, that we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. ¹⁴ As for us, we know that we have already passed out of death into Life--because we love our brother men. He who is destitute of love continues dead. ¹⁴ Wee know that wee haue passed from death vnto life, because wee loue the brethren: he that loueth not his brother, abideth in death.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hateth: Genesis 27:41, Leviticus 19:16-18, 2 Samuel 13:22-28, Proverbs 26:24-26, Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:28, Mark 6:19, Acts 23:12, Acts 23:14, James 1:15, James 4:1, James 4:2

hath: John 4:14, Galatians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:23, Revelation 21:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:2 - a keeper Deuteronomy 15:9 - sin unto thee 1 Samuel 19:4 - sin against Zechariah 7:10 - imagine John 3:36 - that believeth on Ephesians 4:31 - with 1 John 3:10 - neither

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Genesis 3:1
And the serpent was suttiller then euery beast of the fielde which ye lord God hadde made, and he sayde vnto the woman: yea, hath God saide, ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden?

Genesis 3:1
The snake was the most clever of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. The snake spoke to the woman and said, "Woman, did God really tell you that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?"

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"

Genesis 3:1
But and the serpent was feller than alle lyuynge beestis of erthe, whiche the Lord God hadde maad. Which serpent seide to the womman, Why comaundide God to you, that ye schulden not ete of ech tre of paradis?

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtill then any beast of the field, which the LORD God had made, and he said vnto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of euery tree of the garden?

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer,.... A soul murderer, as the Ethiopic version renders it; not only of himself, for every sinner, by sinning, wrongs and destroys his own soul; but of his brother whom he hates: he is a murderer of him in his heart, even as he that lusts after a woman hath committed adultery with her in his heart, out of which arise murders, as well as adulteries; it is not only taking away life, but also causeless anger, malice, and hatred, that is a breach of the sixth command; see Matthew 5:21;

and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him; he has not the grace of life, or the beginning of eternal life in him; he has no meetness for it, being unregenerate; and no right unto it, being unrighteous; nor has he the earnest and pledge of it, being destitute of the Spirit of God; all which a regenerate man has, and has them abiding in him: not but that the sin of murder may be forgiven; a man guilty of it may truly repent, and have pardoning grace applied unto him, and enjoy eternal life, through the grace of the Spirit, and the blood and righteousness of Christ; but without these he is so far from having eternal life, that he is not only punishable with a corporeal death, according to the laws of God and man; but he is exposed unto, and will die the second, or an eternal death.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer ... - That is, he has the spirit of a murderer; he has that which, if it were acted out, would lead him to commit murder, as it did Cain. The private malice, the secret grudge, the envy which is cherished in the heart, is murderous in its tendency, and were it not for the outward restraints of human laws, and the dread of punishment, it would often lead to the act of murder. The apostle does not say that he who hates his brother, though he does not in fact commit murder, is guilty to the same degree as if he had actually done it; but he evidently means to say that the spirit which would lead to murder is there, and that God will hold him responsible for it. Nothing is missing but the removal of outward restraints to lead to the commission of the open deed, and God judges people as he sees them to be “in their hearts.” What a fearful declaration, then, is this! How many real murderers there are on the earth besides those who are detected and punished, and besides those open violators of the laws of God and man who go at large! And who is them that should not feel humbled and penitent in view of his own heart, and grateful for that sovereign mercy which has restrained him from open acts of guilt - for who is there who has not at some period of his life, and perhaps often, indulged in feelings of hatred, and envy, and malice toward others, which, if acted out, would have led to the commission of the awful crime of taking human life? Any man may well shudder at the remembrance of the secret sins of his own heart, and at the thought of what he would have been but for the restraining grace of God. And how wonderful is that grace which, in the case of the true Christian, not only restrains and checks, but which effectually subdues all these feelings, and implants in their place the principles of love!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer — He has the same principle in him which was in Cain, and it may lead to the same consequences.

No murderer hath eternal life — Eternal life springs from an indwelling God; and God cannot dwell in the heart where hatred and malice dwell. This text has been quoted to prove that no murderer can be saved. This is not said in the text; and there have been many instances of persons who have been guilty of murder having had deep and genuine repentance, and who doubtless found mercy from his hands who prayed for his murderers, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do! It is, however, an awful text for the consideration of those who shed human blood on frivolous pretences, or in those wars which have their origin in the worst passions of the human heart.