1 John 3:16

Authorized King James Version (1611)

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.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἐν τούτῳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην, ὅτι εκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν: καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὰς ψυχὰς τιθέναι.

Transliteration

By this we have egnōkamen the agapēn, that ekeinos for us the psychēn of him ethēken: and we opheilomen for the adelphōn the psychas to tithenai.

Grammar Details

• *egnōkamen*: perfect active, 1st plural - we have known
• *agapēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - love
• *ekeinos*: demonstrative pronoun, nominative, masculine, singular - that one
• *psychēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - life/soul
• *ethēken*: aorist active, 3rd singular - he laid down
• *opheilomen*: present active, 1st plural - we ought
• *adelphōn*: genitive, masculine, plural - of brothers
• *psychas*: accusative, feminine, plural - lives/souls
• *tithenai*: present active infinitive - to lay down

Word Meanings

• *egnōkamen*: we have known/understood/perceived
• *agapēn*: love/charity
• *ekeinos*: that one/he (emphatic reference)
• *psychēn*: life/soul/self
• *ethēken*: laid down/gave up/placed
• *opheilomen*: we ought/are obligated/must
• *adelphōn*: brothers'/fellow believers'
• *psychas*: lives/souls/selves
• *tithenai*: to lay down/give up/place

Referenced Verses

• John 3:16 : 16 ‹For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.›
• 1 John 4:9-9 : 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
• John 13:34 : 34 ‹A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.›
• Eph 5:2 : 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
• Rev 1:5 : 5 And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
• Phil 2:17 : 17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
• Rom 5:8 : 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Titus 2:13 : 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
• Matt 20:28 : 28 ‹Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.›
• 1 Pet 3:18 : 18 ¶ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
• 1 John 2:6 : 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
• Rom 16:4 : 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
• John 15:12-13 : 12 ‹This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.› 13 ‹Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.›
• Acts 20:28 : 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
• John 10:15 : 15 ‹As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.›
• Eph 5:25 : 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
• Rev 5:9 : 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
• 1 Pet 1:18 : 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers;
• Phil 2:30 : 30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
• 1 Pet 2:24 : 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.