Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

1 John 3:17–21

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
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.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapter
More
Report an issueTell us about a text or study problem

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

5 selected · 5 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

25 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 17

  1. Hebrews 13:16Rank 1 from verse 17
    Open

    16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

  2. Isaiah 58:7–10Rank 2 from verse 17
    Open

    7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

    8¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.

    9Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

    10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

  3. 1 John 4:20Rank 3 from verse 17
    Open

    20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

  4. Deuteronomy 15:7–11Rank 4 from verse 17
    Open

    7¶ If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

    8But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

    9Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

    10Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

    11For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

  5. Proverbs 19:17Rank 5 from verse 17
    Open

    17He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

From verse 18

  1. James 2:15–16Rank 1 from verse 18
    Open

    15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

    16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

  2. Romans 12:9Rank 2 from verse 18
    Open

    9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

  3. 1 Peter 1:22Rank 3 from verse 18
    Open

    22Seeing 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:

  4. Galatians 5:13Rank 4 from verse 18
    Open

    13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

  5. 1 Corinthians 13:4–7Rank 5 from verse 18
    Open

    4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

    5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

    6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

    7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

From verse 19

  1. Hebrews 10:22Rank 1 from verse 19
    Open

    22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

  2. 1 John 3:21Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

  3. Isaiah 32:17Rank 3 from verse 19
    Open

    17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

  4. Hebrews 6:10–11Rank 4 from verse 19
    Open

    10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

    11And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

  5. John 18:37Rank 5 from verse 19
    Open

    37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

From verse 20

  1. Psalms 139:1–4Rank 1 from verse 20
    Open

    1O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

    2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

    3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

    4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

  2. Jeremiah 17:10Rank 2 from verse 20
    Open

    10I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

  3. Hebrews 4:13Rank 3 from verse 20
    Open

    13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

  4. 1 Corinthians 4:4Rank 4 from verse 20
    Open

    4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

  5. 1 John 4:4Rank 5 from verse 20
    Open

    4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

From verse 21

  1. 1 John 2:28Rank 1 from verse 21
    Open

    28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

  2. Hebrews 4:16Rank 2 from verse 21
    Open

    16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

  3. 2 Corinthians 1:12Rank 3 from verse 21
    Open

    12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

  4. Psalms 101:2Rank 4 from verse 21
    Open

    2I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

  5. Psalms 7:3–5Rank 5 from verse 21
    Open

    3O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

    4If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

    5Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

1 John 3:17

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

good

↗

Sense 1: Right, morally upright, beneficial, pleasing, useful, suitable, sound, favourable, or excellent. Sense 2: A good thing, benefit, welfare, possession, or goods. Sense 3: In ‘make good,’ to repair, repay, fulfil, establish, or prove.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

seeth

↗

1. Perceives with the eyes. 2. Observes or considers. 3. Understands. 4. Experiences or takes heed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

brother

↗

Sense 1: A male sibling; a near kinsman. Sense 2: A fellow member of a people or faith.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

need

↗

Sense 1: Want: occasion for something; necessity; a state that requires supply or relief. Sense 2: To require or lack something necessary.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

bowels

↗

1. Figuratively, deep inward feeling or affection, especially compassion, mercy, or distress; also one deeply loved. 2. The inward organs or inner parts of the body. 3. The womb or inward bodily source of offspring.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

love

↗

Sense 1: Affection, attachment, delight, goodwill, commitment, or devotion. Sense 2: To regard with affection or devotion. Sense 3: A beloved person.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 John 3:18

COMBINED MEANING

children

↗

Sons or daughters; descendants; or persons likened to children by age, relation, or character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

let

↗

Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

us

↗

The first-person plural object pronoun, referring to the speaker together with one or more others as recipients or objects of an action or relation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

love

↗

Sense 1: Affection, attachment, delight, goodwill, commitment, or devotion. Sense 2: To regard with affection or devotion. Sense 3: A beloved person.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

word

↗

Sense 1: A spoken or written expression, saying, message, command, promise, report, or matter. Sense 2: God's revealed word.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

neither

↗

1. Also not; nor, introducing or joining a further negative statement or prohibition. 2. Not either, or none, of the alternatives named, commonly in a neither ... nor construction.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

tongue

↗

1. The organ of the mouth used for tasting and speech. 2. Speech, words, or a language. 3. A tongue-shaped projection or arm of land or water.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

deed

↗

Sense 1: An act or thing done. Sense 2: In the expression in very deed, in fact or in reality.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

truth

↗

1. That which is true; conformity to fact or reality. 2. Faithfulness. 3. God's revealed word.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

1 John 3:19

COMBINED MEANING

know

↗

To perceive, understand, recognize, experience, or be assured of something.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

truth

↗

1. That which is true; conformity to fact or reality. 2. Faithfulness. 3. God's revealed word.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

shall

↗

An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hearts

↗

The inward lives of persons: their thoughts, understanding, conscience, affections, desires, purposes, will, courage, or disposition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

before

↗

Earlier than in time; in front of; in the presence of; or prior in order or rank.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 John 3:20

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

heart

↗

Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

condemn

↗

To pronounce guilty or wrong; to sentence, judge against, disapprove, or doom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

us

↗

The first-person plural object pronoun, referring to the speaker together with one or more others as recipients or objects of an action or relation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 John 3:21

COMBINED MEANING

heart

↗

Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

condemn

↗

To pronounce guilty or wrong; to sentence, judge against, disapprove, or doom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

us

↗

The first-person plural object pronoun, referring to the speaker together with one or more others as recipients or objects of an action or relation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

confidence

↗

Sense 1: Trust, assurance, boldness, or settled reliance. Sense 2: The person or thing in which trust is placed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Bullokar 1616 · Cawdrey 1604

COMBINED MEANING

toward

↗

1. In the direction of or in relation to. 2. Approaching. 3. Inclined or ready.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

16Hereby 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.

17But 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?

Selected passage

18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Selected passage

19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

Selected passage

20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Selected passage

21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

Selected passage

22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.