Devine Scripture

1 John 3:16

What does 1 John 3:16 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 John 3:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 John 3:16 means

Here John gives love its definition and measure: “he laid down his life for us.” The cross is love’s clearest display. Christ did not merely feel compassion; He acted unto death. From this, John draws a binding implication—“we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” While few may face literal martyrdom, the principle stands: love expends self for others’ good. Christ’s love both saves and instructs. We know love, not by sentiment, but by the costly gift of the Son of God. True love mirrors that pattern in daily, sacrificial service to fellow believers.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

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.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

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;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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.

Context

After warning that hatred is murderous (verse 15), John offers the supreme positive example: Christ’s self-giving death. This sets the bar and prepares for practical application in verse 17—meeting a brother’s needs with our resources. The sequence moves from definition (what love is) to demonstration (what love does). It also ties back to verse 8: the Son of God’s manifestation destroys the devil’s works, including hatred, by inaugurating a self-giving community shaped by the cross. The next verses show that such love must become tangible, not remain an ideal.

v.15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

v.16This passage

v.17But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Revelation 5:9

    And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

  • John 10:15

    even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • 1 Peter 1:18

    knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers;

  • Romans 16:4

    who for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles:

  • 1 Peter 3:18

    Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

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