ris3n's Apologetics Codex

1 John 3.16

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: 1 John chapter: 3 verses: "16" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

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1 John 3.16

Book: 1 John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"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." (1 John 3:14-18, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"14. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death. 15. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him."

"16. By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."

"17. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? 18. My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth." (1 John 3:14-18, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother 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 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? 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:14-18, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"14. we, we have known that we have passed out of the death to the life, because we love the brethren; he who is not loving the brother doth remain in the death. 15. Every one who is hating his brother, a man-killer he is, and ye have known that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining,"

"16. 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;"

"17. and whoever may have the goods of the world, and may view his brother having need, and may shut up his bowels from him, how doth the love of God remain in him? 18. My little children, may we not love in word nor in tongue, but in word and in truth!" (1 John 3:14-18, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: John the Apostle (traditionally)
  • Audience: Christian believers (countering proto-gnostic influences)
  • Location: Ephesus (composition)
  • Time period: composed c. AD 85-95

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.