1 John 3:18

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and 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 Conduct in Love Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.
• Jas 2:15-16 : 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them,“Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it?
• Matt 25:41-45 : 41 “Then he will say to those on his left,‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer,‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 45 Then he will answer them,‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’
• Ezek 33:31 : 31 They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage.
• 1 Cor 13:4-7 : 4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. 6 It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
• Gal 5:13 : 13 Practice Love For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
• Gal 6:1-2 : 1 Support One Another Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. 2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
• Eph 4:1-3 : 1 Live in Unity I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• Eph 4:15 : 15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.
• 1 Pet 1:22 : 22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
• 1 John 2:1 : 1 (My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One,
• 2 John 1:1-3 John 1:15 : 1 ¶ Introduction and Thanksgiving From the elder, to an elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth(and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth), 2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 Warning Against False Teachers But now I ask you, lady(not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another. 6 (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting, 11 because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds. 12 Conclusion Though I have many other things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come visit you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you. 1 ¶ Introduction and Thanksgiving From the elder, to Gaius my dear brother, whom I love in truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are living according to the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth. 5 The Charge to Gaius Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers(even though they are strangers). 6 They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone forth on behalf of“The Name,” accepting nothing from the pagans. 8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth. 9 Diotrephes the Troublemaker I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing– the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church! 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God. 12 Worthy Demetrius Demetrius has been testified to by all, even by the truth itself. We also testify to him, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 Conclusion I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink. 14 But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. 15 Peace be with you. The friends here greet you. Greet the friends there by name.