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Selected Verse: 1 John 3:14 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
1Jo 3:14	King James	We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
We--emphatical; hated though we be by the world, we know what the world knows not. know--as an assured fact. passed--changed our state. Col 1:13, "from the power of darkness . . . translated into the kingdom of His dear Son." from death unto life--literally, "out of the death (which enthrals the unregenerate) into the life (of the regenerate)." A palpable coincidence of language and thought, the beloved disciple adopting his Lord's words. because we love the brethren--the ground, not of our passing over out of death into life, but of our knowing that we have so. Love, on our part, is the evidence of our justification and regeneration, not the cause of them. "Let each go to his own heart; if he find there love to the brethren, let him feel assured that he has passed from death unto life. Let him not mind that his glory is only hidden; when the Lord shall come, then shall he appear in glory. For he has vital energy, but it is still wintertime; the root has vigor, but the branches are as it were dry; within there is marrow which is vigorous, within are leaves, within fruits, but they must wait for summer" [AUGUSTINE]. He that loveth not--Most of the oldest manuscripts omit "his brother," which makes the statement more general. abideth--still. in death--"in the (spiritual) death" (ending in eternal death) which is the state of all by nature. His want of love evidences that no saving change has passed over him.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

We--emphatical; hated though we be by the world, we know what the world knows not.

know--as an assured fact.

passed--changed our state. Col 1:13, "from the power of darkness . . . translated into the kingdom of His dear Son."

from death unto life--literally, "out of the death (which enthrals the unregenerate) into the life (of the regenerate)." A palpable coincidence of language and thought, the beloved disciple adopting his Lord's words.

because we love the brethren--the ground, not of our passing over out of death into life, but of our knowing that we have so. Love, on our part, is the evidence of our justification and regeneration, not the cause of them. "Let each go to his own heart; if he find there love to the brethren, let him feel assured that he has passed from death unto life. Let him not mind that his glory is only hidden; when the Lord shall come, then shall he appear in glory. For he has vital energy, but it is still wintertime; the root has vigor, but the branches are as it were dry; within there is marrow which is vigorous, within are leaves, within fruits, but they must wait for summer" [AUGUSTINE].

He that loveth not--Most of the oldest manuscripts omit "his brother," which makes the statement more general.

abideth--still.

in death--"in the (spiritual) death" (ending in eternal death) which is the state of all by nature. His want of love evidences that no saving change has passed over him.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
We know that we have passed from death unto life - From spiritual death (Notes, Eph 2:1) to spiritual life; that is, that we are true Christians. Because we love the brethren - The sentiment here is, that it is an infallible evidence of true piety if we love the followers of Christ as such. See this sentiment illustrated in the notes at Joh 13:35. But how easy it would seem to be to apply such a test of piety as this! Who cannot judge accurately of his own feelings, and determine whether he loves a Christian because he bears the name and image of the Saviour - loves him the more just in proportion as he bears that image? Who cannot, if he chooses, look beyond the narrow bounds of his own sect, and determine whether he is pleased with the true Christian character wherever it may be found, and whether he would prefer to find his friends among those who bear the name and the image of the Son of God, than among the people of the world? The Saviour meant that his followers should be known by this badge of discipleship all over the world, Joh 13:34-35. John says, in carrying out the sentiment, that Christians, by this test, may know "among themselves" whether they have any true religion. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death - He remains dead in sins; that is, he has never been converted. Compare the notes at Jo1 3:6. As love to the Christian brotherhood is essential to true piety, it follows that he who has not that remains unconverted, or is in a state of spiritual death. He is by nature dead in sin, and unless he has evidence that he is brought out of that state, he "remains" or "abides" in it.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

We know that we have passed from death unto life - From spiritual death (Notes, Eph 2:1) to spiritual life; that is, that we are true Christians.

Because we love the brethren - The sentiment here is, that it is an infallible evidence of true piety if we love the followers of Christ as such. See this sentiment illustrated in the notes at Joh 13:35. But how easy it would seem to be to apply such a test of piety as this! Who cannot judge accurately of his own feelings, and determine whether he loves a Christian because he bears the name and image of the Saviour - loves him the more just in proportion as he bears that image? Who cannot, if he chooses, look beyond the narrow bounds of his own sect, and determine whether he is pleased with the true Christian character wherever it may be found, and whether he would prefer to find his friends among those who bear the name and the image of the Son of God, than among the people of the world? The Saviour meant that his followers should be known by this badge of discipleship all over the world, Joh 13:34-35. John says, in carrying out the sentiment, that Christians, by this test, may know "among themselves" whether they have any true religion.

He that loveth not his brother abideth in death - He remains dead in sins; that is, he has never been converted. Compare the notes at Jo1 3:6. As love to the Christian brotherhood is essential to true piety, it follows that he who has not that remains unconverted, or is in a state of spiritual death. He is by nature dead in sin, and unless he has evidence that he is brought out of that state, he "remains" or "abides" in it.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
We know Emphatic; we as distinguished from the world. Have passed (μεατβεβήκαμεν) Lit., have passed over. From death (ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου) Lit., out of the death. The article marks it as one of the two spheres in which men must be; death or life. The death, the life, present one of those sharp oppositions which are characteristic of the Epistle; as love, hatred; darkness, light; truth, a lie. Ὁ θάνατος the death, occurs in John's Epistles only here and in the next clause. In the Gospel, only Joh 5:24. Personified in Rev 1:18; Rev 6:8; Rev 9:6; Rev 20:13. Unto life (εἰς τὴν ζωήν) Rev., better, into. Compare enter into the life, Mat 28:8; Mat 19:17. Because The sign of having passed into life; not the ground. We love the brethren (ἀγαπῶμεν του,ς ἀδελφούς) The only occurrence of the phrase. Elsewhere, love one another, or love his brother. See on Jo1 2:9. His brother Omit.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

We know

Emphatic; we as distinguished from the world.

Have passed (μεατβεβήκαμεν)

Lit., have passed over.

From death (ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου)

Lit., out of the death. The article marks it as one of the two spheres in which men must be; death or life. The death, the life, present one of those sharp oppositions which are characteristic of the Epistle; as love, hatred; darkness, light; truth, a lie. Ὁ θάνατος the death, occurs in John's Epistles only here and in the next clause. In the Gospel, only Joh 5:24. Personified in Rev 1:18; Rev 6:8; Rev 9:6; Rev 20:13.

Unto life (εἰς τὴν ζωήν)

Rev., better, into. Compare enter into the life, Mat 28:8; Mat 19:17.

Because

The sign of having passed into life; not the ground.

We love the brethren (ἀγαπῶμεν του,ς ἀδελφούς)

The only occurrence of the phrase. Elsewhere, love one another, or love his brother. See on Jo1 2:9.

His brother

Omit.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
We know - As if he had said, We ourselves could not love our brethren, unless we were passed from spiritual death to life, that is, born of God. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death - That is, is not born of God. And he that is not born of God, cannot love his brother.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

We know - As if he had said, We ourselves could not love our brethren, unless we were passed from spiritual death to life, that is, born of God. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death - That is, is not born of God. And he that is not born of God, cannot love his brother.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
We know that we have passed from death unto life - Death and life are represented here as two distinct territories, states, or kingdoms, to either of which the inhabitants of either may be removed. This is implied in the term μεταβεβηκαμεν, from μετα, denoting change of place, and βαινω, I go. It is the same figure which St. Paul uses, Col 1:13 : Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. The believers to whom St. John writes had been once in the region and shadow of death, in the place where sin and death reigned, whose subjects they were; but they had left that kingdom of oppression, wretchedness, and wo, and had come over to the kingdom of life, whose king was the Prince and Author of life; where all was liberty, prosperity, and happiness; where life and love were universally prevalent, and death and hatred could not enter. We know, therefore, says the apostle, that we are passed over from the territory of death to the kingdom of life, because we love the brethren, which those who continue in the old kingdom - under the old covenant, can never do; for he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. He has never changed his original residence. He is still an unconverted, unrenewed sinner.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

We know that we have passed from death unto life - Death and life are represented here as two distinct territories, states, or kingdoms, to either of which the inhabitants of either may be removed. This is implied in the term μεταβεβηκαμεν, from μετα, denoting change of place, and βαινω, I go. It is the same figure which St. Paul uses, Col 1:13 : Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. The believers to whom St. John writes had been once in the region and shadow of death, in the place where sin and death reigned, whose subjects they were; but they had left that kingdom of oppression, wretchedness, and wo, and had come over to the kingdom of life, whose king was the Prince and Author of life; where all was liberty, prosperity, and happiness; where life and love were universally prevalent, and death and hatred could not enter. We know, therefore, says the apostle, that we are passed over from the territory of death to the kingdom of life, because we love the brethren, which those who continue in the old kingdom - under the old covenant, can never do; for he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. He has never changed his original residence. He is still an unconverted, unrenewed sinner.

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