18
Little children,Τεκνίαlet us notμὴloveἀγαπῶμενin wordλόγῳorμηδὲwith the tongue,τῇ γλώσσῃbutἀλλὰinἐνdeedἔργῳandκαὶtruth.ἀληθείᾳ
1 John 3:18
Study it in the app“Little children, let us not love in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.”
To love is to give your life and help the needy, in deed and not just wordLove
With the Greek beneath
1 John 3:18, word by word
- Little childrenΤεκνίαTeknia
little child
Little children; an affectionate way of addressing the disciples.
Where else “Teknia” appears- loveἀγαπῶμενagapōmen
love
Love: to seek the good of the other, even of someone who does not deserve it.
Where else “agapōmen” appears- in wordλόγῳlogōi
word
What someone says or teaches.
Where else “logōi” appears- with the tongueγλώσσῃglōssēi
tongue
The organ of the mouth used to speak and to taste.
Where else “glōssēi” appears- deedἔργῳergōi
deed
What someone does, their conduct.
Where else “ergōi” appears- truthἀληθείᾳalētheiai
truly
What is real, not a lie.
Where else “alētheiai” appears
The context
17But 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?
18 · This verse (above)
19By this we will know that we are of the truth, and before him we will reassure our heart
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)?