1 John 3:18
16 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.
17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
- KJV
- My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
- WEB
- My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
- ASV
- [My] Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
- DARBY
- Children, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth.
- BLB
- Little children, may we love not in word nor in tongue, but in work and in truth.
- ÅB
- Mine barn! la oss ikke elske med ord eller med tunge, men i gjerning og sannhet!
- OTB
- Små barn, la oss ikke elske med ord eller tale, men med handlinger og i sannhet.
- B1930
- Mine barn! la oss ikke elske med ord eller med tunge, men i gjerning og sannhet!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
James 2:15–16
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Read in contextRomans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Read in context1 Peter 1:22
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Read in contextGalatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Read in context1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Read in contextGalatians 6:1–2
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Read in contextEphesians 4:1–3
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Read in contextMatthew 25:41–45
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Read in context