10 In 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.
11 For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But 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?
18 `My' Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him:
20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;
22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 John 3
Commentary on 1 John 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The apostle here magnifies the love of God in our adoption (v. 1, 2). He thereupon argues for holiness (v. 3), and against sin (v. 4-19). He presses brotherly love (v. 11-18). How to assure our hearts before God (v. 19-22). The precept of faith (v. 23). And the good of obedience (v. 24).
1Jo 3:1-3
The apostle, having shown the dignity of Christ's faithful followers, that they are born of him and thereby nearly allied to God, now here,
1Jo 3:4-10
The apostle, having alleged the believer's obligation to purity from his hope of heaven, and of communion with Christ in glory at the day of his appearance, now proceeds to fill his own mouth and the believer's mind with multiplied arguments against sin, and all communion with the impure unfruitful works of darkness. And so he reasons and argues,
1Jo 3:11-13
The apostle, having intimated that one mark of the devil's children is hatred of the brethren, takes occasion thence,
1Jo 3:14-19
The beloved apostle can scarcely touch upon the mention of sacred love, but he must enlarge upon the enforcement of it, as here he does by divers arguments and incentives thereto; as,
1Jo 3:20-22
The apostle, having intimated that there may be, even among us, such a privilege as an assurance or sound persuasion of heart towards God, proceeds here,
1Jo 3:23-24
The apostle, having mentioned keeping the commandments, and pleasing God, as the qualification of effectual petitioners in and with Heaven, here suitably proceeds,