John 14:15

Bible in Basic English (1941)

If you have love for me, you will keep my laws.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτέ με, τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσατε.

Transliteration

If agapate me, the entolas the emas tērēsate.

Grammar Details

• *agapate*: present subjunctive active, 2nd person plural - you love
• *me*: accusative, 1st person singular pronoun - me
• *entolas*: accusative, feminine, plural - commandments
• *emas*: accusative, feminine, plural possessive adjective - my
• *tērēsate*: aorist imperative active, 2nd person plural - keep!

Word Meanings

• *agapate*: love/cherish/value highly
• *entolas*: commandments/instructions/precepts
• *tērēsate*: keep/observe/guard/maintain

Referenced Verses

• 1 John 2:3-5 : 3 And by this we may be certain that we have knowledge of him, if we keep his laws. 4 The man who says, I have knowledge of him, and does not keep his laws, is false, and there is nothing true in him: 5 But in every man who keeps his word, the love of God is made complete. By this we may be certain that we are in him:
• 1 John 5:2-3 : 2 In this way, we are certain that we have love for the children of God, when we have love for God and keep his laws. 3 For loving God is keeping his laws: and his laws are not hard.
• 1 John 4:19-20 : 19 We have the power of loving, because he first had love for us. 20 If a man says, I have love for God, and has hate for his brother, his words are false: for how is the man who has no love for his brother whom he has seen, able to have love for God whom he has not seen?
• 2 John 1:6 : 6 And love is the keeping of his laws. This is the law which was given to you from the first, so that you might keep it.
• John 14:21-24 : 21 He who has my laws and keeps them, he it is who has love for me: and he who has love for me will be loved by my Father, and I will have love for him and will let myself be seen clearly by him. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, How is it that you will let yourself be seen clearly by us and not by the world? 23 Jesus said to him in answer, If anyone has love for me, he will keep my words: and he will be dear to my Father; and we will come to him and make our living-place with him. 24 He who has no love for me does not keep my words; and the word which you are hearing is not my word but the Father's who sent me.
• John 15:10-14 : 10 If you keep my laws, you will be ever in my love, even as I have kept my Father's laws, and am ever in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that I may have joy in you and so that your joy may be complete. 12 This is the law I give you: Have love one for another, even as I have love for you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man gives up his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends, if you do what I give you orders to do.
• Eph 3:16-18 : 16 That in the wealth of his glory he would make you strong with power through his Spirit in your hearts; 17 So that Christ may have his place in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and based in love, 18 May have strength to see with all the saints how wide and long and high and deep it is,
• Gal 5:6 : 6 Because in Christ Jesus, having circumcision or not having circumcision are equally of no profit; but only faith working through love.
• Matt 25:34-40 : 34 Then will the King say to those on his right, Come, you who have the blessing of my Father, into the kingdom made ready for you before the world was: 35 For I was in need of food, and you gave it to me: I was in need of drink, and you gave it to me: I was wandering, and you took me in; 36 I had no clothing, and you gave it to me: when I was ill, or in prison, you came to me. 37 Then will the upright make answer to him, saying, Lord, when did we see you in need of food, and give it to you? or in need of drink, and give it to you? 38 And when did we see you wandering, and take you in? or without clothing, and give it to you? 39 And when did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you? 40 And the King will make answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
• 2 Cor 5:14-15 : 14 For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then all have undergone death; 15 And that he underwent death for all, so that the living might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who underwent death for them and came back from the dead.
• 2 Cor 8:8-9 : 8 I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love. 9 For you see the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though he had wealth, he became poor on your account, so that through his need you might have wealth.
• Matt 10:37 : 37 He who has more love for his father or mother than for me is not good enough for me; he who has more love for son or daughter than for me is not good enough for me.
• 1 Pet 1:8 : 8 To whom your love is given, though you have not seen him; and the faith which you have in him, though you do not see him now, gives you joy greater than words and full of glory:
• Eph 6:24 : 24 Grace be with all those who have true love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
• John 8:42 : 42 Jesus said to them, If God was your Father you would have love for me, because it was from God I came and am here. I did not come of myself, but he sent me.
• John 21:15-17 : 15 Then when they had taken food, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, is your love for me greater than the love of these others? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you are certain of my love for you. He said to him, Then give my lambs food. 16 Again, a second time, he said to him, Simon, son of John, have you any love for me? Yes, Lord, he said, you are certain of my love for you. Then take care of my sheep, said Jesus. 17 He said to him a third time, Simon, son of John, am I dear to you? Now Peter was troubled in his heart because he put the question a third time, Am I dear to you? And he said to him, Lord, you have knowledge of all things; you see that you are dear to me. Jesus said to him, Then give my sheep food.
• 1 Cor 16:22 : 22 If any man has not love for the Lord, let him be cursed. Maran atha (our Lord comes).
• Phil 1:20-23 : 20 In the measure of my strong hope and belief that in nothing will I be put to shame, but that without fear, as at all times, so now will Christ have glory in my body, by life or by death. 21 For to me life is Christ and death is profit. 22 But if I go on living in the flesh--if this is the fruit of my work--then I do not see what decision to make. 23 I am in a hard position between the two, having a desire to go away and be with Christ, which is very much better:
• Phil 3:7-9 : 7 But those things which were profit to me, I gave up for Christ. 8 Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward, 9 And be seen in him, not having my righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may have knowledge of him, and of the power of his coming back from the dead, and a part with him in his pains, becoming like him in his death; 11 If in any way I may have the reward of life from the dead.