17
Butδ’whoeverὃς ἂνhasἔχῃthe world’sτοῦ κόσμουgoodsτὸν βίονandκαὶseesθεωρῇhis brotherτὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦin needχρείαν ἔχονταandκαὶclosesκλείσῃhis heartτὰ σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦagainstἀπ’him,αὐτοῦhowπῶςdoes the loveἡ ἀγάπηof Godτοῦ θεοῦremainμένειinἐνhim?αὐτῷ
1 John 3:17
Study it in the app“But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him?”
To love is to give your life and help the needy, in deed and not just wordLoveHow does God's love remain in one who shuts his heart to a brother in need?The Church and Community
With the Greek beneath
1 John 3:17, word by word
- hasἔχῃechēi
have
To count something or someone as one's own: goods, family, faith, power.
Where else “echēi” appears- the world’sκόσμουkosmou
creation
Everything God made.
Where else “kosmou” appears- goodsβίονbion
livelihood
What one has to live on.
Where else “bion” appears- seesθεωρῇtheōrēi
watch
To observe something closely.
Where else “theōrēi” appears- his brotherἀδελφὸνadelphon
brother in faith
A believer, of the same family of God through the Messiah.
Where else “adelphon” appears- in needχρείανchreian
need
What is lacking, required.
Where else “chreian” appears- closesκλείσῃkleisēi
shut, lock
Shut, lock.
Where else “kleisēi” appears- his heartσπλάγχναsplanchna
compassion
Inner fondness and compassion.
Where else “splanchna” appears- does the loveἀγάπηagapē
love
Love that gives itself, seeking the other's good, like God's.
Where else “agapē” appears- of Godθεοῦtheou
God
The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.
Where else “theou” appears- remainμένειmenei
remain
To stay joined to someone: "abide in me".
Where else “menei” appears
Translation note
“Heart”: literally “bowels,” where compassion was felt; that is, he refuses him his compassion.
The context
16By this we have come to know love: that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17 · This verse (above)
18Little children, let us not love in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.
To study 1 John 3 in a group
1. What it says
What does verse 1 say the Father has given us, and what does it say we will be when he appears (v. 1-2)?
2. What it means
John says not to love "in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth" (v. 18). What does that contrast show?
3. How I live it
What concrete act of love could you do today for someone in need (v. 17-18)?