1 John 3:18

Authorized King James Version (1611)

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Τεκνία μου, μὴ ἀγαπῶμεν λόγῳ, μηδὲ γλώσσῃ· ἀλλʼ ἔργῳ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ.

Transliteration

Teknia of me, not agapōmen logō, nor glōssē; but ergō and alētheia.

Grammar Details

• *Teknia*: vocative, neuter, plural - little children
• *agapōmen*: present active subjunctive, 1st plural - let us love
• *logō*: dative, masculine, singular - with word
• *glōssē*: dative, feminine, singular - with tongue
• *ergō*: dative, neuter, singular - with deed
• *alētheia*: dative, feminine, singular - with truth

Word Meanings

• *Teknia*: little children/dear children
• *agapōmen*: let us love/cherish
• *logō*: word/speech/statement
• *glōssē*: tongue/language
• *ergō*: deed/action/work
• *alētheia*: truth/reality

Referenced Verses

• Rom 12:9 : 9 [Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
• Jas 2:15-16 : 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And 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?
• Matt 25:41-45 : 41 ‹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:› 42 ‹For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:› 43 ‹I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.› 44 ‹Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?› 45 ‹Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did› [it] ‹not to one of the least of these, ye did› [it] ‹not to me.›
• Ezek 33:31 : 31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goeth after their covetousness.
• 1 Cor 13:4-7 : 4 ¶ Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
• Gal 5:13 : 13 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
• Gal 6:1-2 : 1 ¶ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
• Eph 4:1-3 : 1 ¶ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 ¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• Eph 4:15 : 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:
• 1 Pet 1:22 : 22 Seeing 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:
• 1 John 2:1 : 1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
• 2 John 1:1- : 1 ¶ The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3 Grace be with you, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 ¶ And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7 ¶ For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 ¶ If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 12 ¶ Having many things to write unto you, I would not [write] with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. 1 ¶ The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 ¶ For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. 9 ¶ I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth [them] out of the church. 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 12 ¶ Demetrius hath good report of all [men], and of the truth itself: yea, and we [also] bear record; and ye know that our record is true. 13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace [be] to thee. [Our] friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.