1 John 3:10
What does 1 John 3:10 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 John 3:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 John 3:10 means
John states the test plainly. Two families are “manifest” by two fruits. The child of God does righteousness; the child of the devil does not. Then he sharpens the focus: love is not optional. Whoever “loveth not his brother” is not of God. Righteousness and love stand together as twin evidences of new birth. This is not a call to fault-finding but to self-examination and clarity. God’s life in us moves us to right conduct and to self-giving care for fellow believers. Where these are absent, lineage claims ring hollow, no matter how eloquent someone’s confession may be.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
KJV
King James Version · 1611In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949In this way it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the Evil One; anyone who does not do righteousness or who has no love for his brother, is not a child of God.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862In this manifest are the children of God, and the children of the devil; every one who is not doing righteousness, is not of God, and he who is not loving his brother,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just is not of God, or he that loveth not his brother.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890In this are manifest the children ofGod and the children of the devil. Whoever does not practise righteousness is not ofGod, and he who does not love his brother.
Context
This verse concludes the contrast begun in verses 7–9 and pivots to the theme of love that dominates the rest of the chapter. By tying righteousness to brotherly love, John prevents a cold moralism and exposes loveless orthodoxy as counterfeit. The statement lays the foundation for verse 11’s reminder of the original message to love one another and for the negative example of Cain in verse 12. The community can discern truth from error not merely by doctrine confessed but by love practiced. The ethical identity of God’s children is now front and center.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 John 2:29
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.
- 1 John 2:9
He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
- Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God:
- 1 John 4:21
And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
- 1 John 4:6
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
- 1 John 5:2
Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.
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