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?
Parallel translations
- WEB But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?
- KJV 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?
- NKJV 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?
- NASB 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?
- NLT 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?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Refusing to help a needy fellow believer shows God's love does not dwell in us. Real love acts in practical compassion.
Overview
John makes love concrete: the one who has resources, sees a brother in need, and closes his heart cannot claim that God's love abides in him. Love is proven by tangible care, not mere sentiment. This guards against a hollow profession of love and calls believers to generous, compassionate action.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Heb 13:16And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Isa 58:7–10Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
- Deut 15:7–11If 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.
- 1 Jn 4:20If 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.
- Prov 19:17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- Luke 3:11John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
- 2 Cor 9:5–9So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the bountiful gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.
- Jas 2:15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
- 2 Cor 8:14–15At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.
- 1 Tim 6:17–18Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.
- 2 Cor 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
- Prov 28:9Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- 1 Jn 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
- Prov 12:10A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Jesus is the Word of life made manifest, the propitiation for our sins, the Son in whom is eternal life — 'that you may know that you have eternal life.'
How 1 John 3:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.