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?
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?
- BSB 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?
- 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 13:16But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
- Isa 58:7–10Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
- Deut 15:7–11If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;
- 1 Jn 4:20If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
- Prov 19:17He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.
- Luke 3:11He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”
- 2 Cor 9:5–9I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness.
- Jas 2:15And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
- 2 Cor 8:14–15but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality.
- 1 Tim 6:17–18Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything 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, that you through his poverty might become rich.
- Prov 28:9He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
- 1 Jn 5:1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
- Prov 12:10A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
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.