1 John 3:17
New International Version
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

New Living Translation
If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

English Standard Version
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

Berean Standard Bible
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

Berean Literal Bible
Now whoever might have the world's goods, and might see his brother having need, and might close up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

King James Bible
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?

New King James Version
But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

New American Standard Bible
But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him?

NASB 1995
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

NASB 1977
But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Legacy Standard Bible
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Amplified Bible
But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him?

Christian Standard Bible
If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need—how can God’s love reside in him?

American Standard Version
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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Whoever has worldly possessions and sees his brother who has a need and withholds his compassion from him, how is the love of God in him?

Contemporary English Version
If we have all we need and see one of our own people in need, we must have pity on that person, or else we cannot say we love God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him?

English Revised Version
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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God's love be in that person if he doesn't bother to help the other believer?

Good News Translation
If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God?

International Standard Version
Whoever has earthly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God be present in him?

Literal Standard Version
and whoever may have the goods of the world, and may view his brother having need, and may shut up his yearnings from him—how does the love of God remain in him?

Majority Standard Bible
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

New American Bible
If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?

NET Bible
But whoever has the world's possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?

New Revised Standard Version
How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

New Heart English Bible
But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?

Webster's Bible Translation
But he who 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?

Weymouth New Testament
But if any one has this world's wealth and sees that his brother man is in need, and yet hardens his heart against him--how can such a one continue to love God?

World English Bible
But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

Young's Literal Translation
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?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love One Another
16By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? 18Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 15:7
If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.

James 2:15
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

James 2:16
If one of you tells him, "Go in peace; stay warm and well fed," but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?

1 John 4:20
If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.


Treasury of Scripture

But whoever has this world's good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him?

whoso.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11
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: …

Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Isaiah 58:7-10
Is 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? …

shutteth.

Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

Proverbs 28:9
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

how.

1 John 4:20
If 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?

1 John 5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Jump to Previous
Abide Beholdeth Bowels Closes Compassion Dwelleth God's Good Goods Hardens Heart Keeps Love Material Need Possessions Shutteth Wealth World's
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Abide Beholdeth Bowels Closes Compassion Dwelleth God's Good Goods Hardens Heart Keeps Love Material Need Possessions Shutteth Wealth World's
1 John 3
1. He declares the singular love of God toward us, in making us his sons;
3. who therefore ought obediently to keep his commandments;
11. as also to love one another as brothers.














Verse 17. - "But δέ if a man not only fails to do this, but even steadily contemplates θεωρῇ another's distress, and forthwith (aorist, κλείσῃ closes his heart against him, although he has the means of relieving him, how can he have any love for God?" The meaning is not, "How can God love him?" as is plain from 1 John 4:20. But possibly "love such as God has shown towards us" may be meant (1 John 4:10). "The world's goods" τὸν βίον τοῦ κόσμου is literally "the world's means of life" (see on 1 John 2:16, and Trench on 'New Testament Synonyms,' for the difference between βίος and ζώη. (For τὰ σπλάγχνα as the seat of the affections, comp. Luke 1:78; 2 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 2:1; Philemon 1:7, 12.) The ἀπ αὐτοῦ is graphic; closes his heart and turns away from him (1 John 2:28).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
ἂν (an)
Particle
Strong's 302: A primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty.

anyone
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

with
ἔχῃ (echē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

earthly
κόσμου (kosmou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).

possessions
βίον (bion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 979: A primary word; life, i.e. the present state of existence; by implication, the means of livelihood.

sees
θεωρῇ (theōrē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2334: From a derivative of theaomai; to be a spectator of, i.e. Discern, (experience) or intensively (acknowledge).

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

brother
ἀδελφὸν (adelphon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

[in]
ἔχοντα (echonta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

need,
χρείαν (chreian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5532: From the base of chraomai or chre; employment, i.e. An affair; also occasion, demand, requirement or destitution.

[but]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

withholds
κλείσῃ (kleisē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2808: To shut, shut up. A primary verb; to close.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

compassion
σπλάγχνα (splanchna)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 4698: Probably strengthened from splen; an intestine; figuratively, pity or sympathy.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

him,
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

how
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

{can} the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

love
ἀγάπη (agapē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 26: From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.

of God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

abide
μένει (menei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3306: To remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await. A primary verb; to stay.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

him?
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Letters: 1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 3:16
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