TRV
Translation
King James Version
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
Complete Jewish Bible
Here is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God, we also do what he commands.
Berean Standard Bible
By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.
American Standard Version
Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.
World English Bible Messianic
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.
Geneva Bible (1599)
In this we know that we loue the children of God, when we loue God, and keepe his commandements.
Young's Literal Translation
in this we know that we love the children of God, when we may love God, and His commands may keep;
In the KJVVerse 30,627 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 John 5 verses 1–5
1 ¶ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
I. The apostle having, in the conclusion of the last chapter, as was there observed, urged Christian love upon those two accounts, as suitable to Christian profession and as suitable to the divine command, here adds a third: Such love is suitable, and indeed demanded, by their eminent relation; our Christian brethren or fellow-believers are nearly related to God; they are his children: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, Jo1 5:1. Here the Christian brother is, 1. Described by his faith; he that believeth that Jesus is the Christ - that he is Messiah the prince, that he is the Son of God by nature and office, that he is the chief of all the anointed world, chief of all the priests, prophets, or kings, who were ever anointed by God or for him, that he is perfectly prepared and furnished for the whole work of the eternal salvation - accordingly yields himself up to his care and direction; and then he is, 2. Dignified by his descent: He is born of God, Jo1 5:1. This principle of faith, and the new nature that attends it or from which it springs, are ingenerated by the Spirit of God; and so sonship and adoption are not now appropriated to the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, not to the ancient Israel of God; all believers, though by nature sinners of the Gentiles, are spiritually descended from God, and accordingly are to be beloved; as it is added: Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him, Jo1 5:1. It seems but natural that he who loves the Father should love the children also, and that in some proportion to their resemblance to their Father and to the Father's love to them; and so we must first and principally love the Son of the Father, as he is most emphatically styled, Jo2 1:3, the only (necessarily) begotten, and the Son of his love, and then those that are voluntarily begotten, and renewed by the Spirit of grace.
II. The apostle shows, 1. How we may discern the truth, or the true evangelical nature of our love to the regenerate. The ground of it must be our love to God, whose they are: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, Jo1 5:2. Our love to them appears to be sound and genuine when we love them not merely upon any secular account, as because they are rich, or learned, or kind to us, or of our denomination among religious parties; but because they are God's children, his regenerating grace appears in them, his image and superscription are upon them, and so in them God himself is loved. Thus we see what that love to the brethren is that is so pressed in this epistle; it is love to them as the children of God and the adopted brethren of the Lord Jesus. 2. How we may learn the truth of our love to God - it appears in our holy obedience: When we love God, and keep his commandments, Jo1 5:2. Then we truly, and in gospel account, love God, when we keep his commandments: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and the keeping of his commandments requires a spirit inclined thereto and delighting herein; and so his commandments are not grievous, Jo1 5:3. Or, This is the love of God, that, as thereby we are determined to obedience, and to keep the commandments of God, so his commandments are thereby made easy and pleasant to us. The lover of God says, "O how I love thy law! I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart (Psa 119:32), when thou shalt enlarge it either with love or with thy Spirit, the spring of love." 3. What is and ought to be the result and effect of regeneration - an intellectual spiritual conquest of this world: For whatsoever is born of God, or, as in some copies, whosoever is born of God, overcometh the world, Jo1 5:4. He that is born of God is born for God, and consequently for another world. He has a temper and disposition that tend to a higher and better world; and he is furnished with such arms, or such a weapon, whereby he can repel and conquer this; as it is added, And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, Jo1 5:4. Faith is the cause of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armour and artillery by which we overcome; for, (1.) In and by faith we cleave to Christ, in contempt of, and opposition to, the world. (2.) Faith works in and by love to God and Christ, and so withdraws us from the love of the world. (3.) Faith sanctifies the heart, and purifies it from those sensual lusts by which the world obtains such sway and dominion over souls. (4.) It receives and derives strength from the object of it, the Son of God, for conquering the frowns and flatteries of the world. (5.) It obtains by gospel promise a right to the indwelling Spirit of grace, that is greater than he who dwells in the world. (6.) It sees an invisible world at hand, with which this world is not worthy to be compared, and into which it tells the soul in which it resides it must be continually prepared to enter; and thereupon,
III. The apostle concludes that it is the real Christian that is the true conqueror of the world: Who is he then that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Jo1 5:5. It is the world that lies in our way to heaven, and is the great impediment to our entrance there. But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God believes therein that Jesus Came from God to be the Saviour of the world, and powerfully to conduct us from the world to heaven, and to God, who is fully to be enjoyed there. And he who so believes must needs by this faith overcome the world. For, 1. He must be well satisfied that this world is a vehement enemy to his soul, to his holiness, his salvation, and his blessedness. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, Jo1 2:16. 2. He sees it must be a great part of the Saviour's work, and of his own salvation, to be redeemed and rescued from this malignant world. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, Gal 1:4. 3. He sees in and by the life and conduct of the Lord Jesus on earth that this world is to be renounced and overcome. 4. He perceives that the Lord Jesus conquered the world, not for himself only, but for his followers; and they must study to be partakers of his victory. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 5. He is taught and influenced by the Lord Jesus's death to be mortified and crucified to the world. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world, Gal 6:14. 6. He is begotten by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to the lively hope of a blessed world above, Pe1 1:3. 7. He knows that the Saviour has gone to heaven, and is there preparing a place for his serious believers, Joh 14:2. 8. He knows that his Saviour will come again thence, and will put an end to this world, and judge the inhabitants of it, and receive his believers to his presence and glory, Joh 14:3. 9. He is possessed with a spirit and disposition that cannot be satisfied with this world, that look beyond it, and are still tending, striving, and pressing, towards the world in heaven. In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, Co2 5:2. So that it is the Christian religion that affords its proselytes a universal empire. It is the Christian revelation that is the great means of conquering the world, and gaining another that is most pure and peaceful, blessed and eternal. It is there, in that revelation, that we see what are the occasion and ground of the quarrel and contest between the holy God and this rebellious world. It is there that we meet with sacred doctrine (both speculative and practical), quite contrary to the tenour, temper, and tendency of this world. It is by that doctrine that a spirit is communicated and diffused which is superior and adverse to the spirit of the world. It is there we see that the Saviour himself was not of this world that his kingdom was not and is not so, that it must be separated from the world and gathered out of it for heaven and for God. There we see that the Saviour designs not this world for the inheritance and portion of his saved company. As he has gone to heaven himself, so he assures them he goes to prepare for their residence there, as designing they should always dwell with him, and allowing them to believe that if in this life, and this world only, they had hope in him, they should at last be but miserable. It is there that the eternal blessed world is most clearly revealed and proposed to our affection and pursuit. It is there that we are furnished with the best arms and artillery against the assaults and attempts of the world. It is there that we are taught how the world may be out-shot in its own bow, or its artillery turned against itself; and its oppositions, encounters, and persecutions, be made serviceable to our conquest of the world, and to our motion and ascent to the higher heavenly world: and there we are encouraged by a whole army and cloud of holy soldiers, who have in their several ages, posts, and stations, overcome the world, and won the crown. It is the real Christian that is the proper hero, who vanquishes the world and rejoices in a universal victory. Nor does he (for he is far superior to the Grecian monarch) mourn that there is not another world to be subdued, but lays hold on the eternal world of life, and in a sacred sense takes the kingdom of heaven by violence too. Who in all the world but the believer on Jesus Christ can thus overcome the world?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Ten Homilies on 1 John 10
John was speaking just before of brotherly love, and said, "He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?" But if thou lovest thy brother, haply thou lovest thy brother and lovest not Christ? How should that be, when thou lovest members of Christ? When therefore thou lovest members of Christ, thou lovest Christ; when thou lovest Christ, thou lovest the Son of God; when thou lovest the Son of God, thou lovest also the Father. The love therefore cannot be separated into parts. Choose what thou wilt love; the rest follow thee. Suppose thou say, I love God alone, God the Father. Thou liest: if thou lovest, thou lovest Him not alone; but if thou lovest the Father, thou lovest also the Son.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Ten Homilies on 1 John 10
Behold, sayest thou, I love the Father, and I love the Son: but this only, the Father God and the Son God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, that Word by which all things were made, and "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us:" this alone I love. Thou liest; for if thou lovest the Head, thou lovest also the members; but if thou lovest not the members, neither lovest thou the Head. Dost thou not quake at the voice uttered by the Head from Heaven on behalf of His members, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?" The persecutor of His members He called His persecutor: His lover, the lover of His members. Now what are His members, ye know, brethren: none other than the Church of God.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Ten Homilies on 1 John 10
"In this we know that we love the sons of God." What is this, brethren? Just now he was speaking of the Son of God, not of sons of God: lo, here one Christ was set before us to contemplate, and we were told, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat," i.e. the Father, "loveth Him also that is begotten of Him," i.e. the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And he goes on: "In this we know that we love the sons of God;" as if he had been about to say, "In this we know that we love the Son of God." He has said, "the sons of God," whereas he was speaking just before of the Son of God - because the sons of God are the Body of the Only Son of God, and when He is the Head, we the members, it is one Son of God.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Ten Homilies on 1 John 10
Therefore, he that loves the sons of God, loves the Son of God, and he that loves the Son of God, loves the Father; nor can any love the Father except he love the Son, and he that loves the sons, loves also the Son of God. What sons of God? The members of the Son of God. And by loving he becomes himself a member, and comes through love to be in the frame of the body of Christ, so there shall be one Christ, loving Himself. For when the members love one another, the body loves itself. "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it." And then he goes on to say, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members."
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Ten Homilies on 1 John 10
"In this we know that we love the sons of God, in that we love God." And how? Are not the sons of God one thing, God Himself another? But he that loves God, loves His precepts. And what are the precepts of God? "A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another." Let none excuse himself by another love, for another love; so and so only is it with this love: as the love itself is compacted in one, so all that hang by it doth it make one, and as fire melts them down into one. It is gold: the lump is molten and becomes some one thing. But unless the fervor of charity be applied, of many there can be no melting down into one. "That we love God," by this "know we that we love the sons of God."
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Catholic Epistles
In this we know that we love the children of God, etc. Therefore, he alone is proven to love his neighbor rightly who is known to burn with the love of the Creator. And lest anyone deceive himself about the love of the Creator, professing that he loves by word alone, after having said: In this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, he added, and we keep His commandments.
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on 1 John
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And whoever loves the one who created him loves also the one who is born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
John confirms the discourse again with others, thereby strengthening it in a certain way: If we have received the command from the Master to love one another mutually, surely if we believe that our Master and Teacher is Jesus Christ, who is Christ in the same way that God and man are: we shall also observe his commandments as both a Teacher and as God. Furthermore, believing him to be God, we are called his children: just as it is said in the Gospels: "But as many as received him, that is, as many as believed in him, he gave them the power to become the children of God." (Jn. 1:12) If, therefore, we are born of him, we shall also fulfill what is fitting for him who begot us. What is this? That we love him who created us, since it follows from the nature of children that they love their parents. Since this is the case, all of us who have believed are born of the same. If we are born of the same, we are also indebted to love one another: both because we are brothers and because we are born of the same.
And John adds this persuasion: that whoever loves the one who created him loves also the one who is born of him. Then he uses a change of discourse and says that love for brothers or the children of God confirms love for Him who created. For John previously said: "he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 Jn. 4:21):" now, however, in an inverted discourse, he says that whoever loves the children of God also loves God: and he places the sign of love for God as love for the brother. Then he also says that love for God brings about the observance of His commandments: rightly saying this: for "Whoever loves me," says the Savior, "keeps my commandments."(Jn. 14:21
"For this is the love of God." In the superlative (ὑπερθατῷ), that what is proposed should be understood in this way: For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments, because whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Furthermore, and his commandments are not burdensome, it has been interpolated.
"and His commandments are not burdensome." Not as Christ said, "My yoke is easy (Matt. 11:30);" thus He Himself said that the commandments are light, but that they are not burdensome: for to him who is brought to virtue, even what is light is considered very heavy; just as to one who has lost strength and health, everything that makes for good, even what is very light, seems heavy. Indeed, because the commandments of God seemed burdensome to some, as they are God's, for this reason He says that His commandments are not burdensome. For what burden is there in loving a brother?
Furthermore, what burdensome does it cause to visit one who is in prison? For he does not command to free him who is in prison, which would be difficult, but only to visit; nor does he command to free the sick from their illness, but only to visit; nor does he command to set a lavish table for the hungry, nor to provide clothing to the naked prepared with unnecessary embellishment; but he requires what provides necessary use for him who is hungry or naked. After he has arranged these things in this way, he adds to what has already been said another thing that leads to the showing of love, what is that? Victory (ὴν νίκην). For John says: you who establish yourselves as sons of God by love for your neighbor, you already have this that accompanies that excellent deed, namely, to conquer the world; For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Then John adds victory, and what is the cause of victory, and he says that both agree with faith, namely, that which is towards God, which also born of God, has conquered and driven away all disbelief; neither Jew, nor Greek, nor Heretic can do anything against it.
And since faith does not conquer alone, but together with the one who possesses it, John adds: "And who is it that overcomes the world, except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" But who is this Jesus? “He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ”. (1 Jn. 5:6)
Theophylact of OhridAD 1107
COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN
If we love God, then we must also love those whom God has brought to birth and who have become our brothers and sisters. Loving one another is a sign of how much we love God.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
First John 5:2 provides a crucial litmus test for authentic Christian love, asserting that our love for fellow believers, whom John calls "the children of God," is genuinely demonstrated and confirmed when our love for God is evident through our obedience to His divine commandments. This verse establishes an inseparable and reciprocal relationship between loving God, obeying Him, and loving His spiritual family, emphasizing that true affection for one's spiritual siblings flows directly from a sincere and active devotion to their heavenly Father.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is deeply embedded within the concluding section of 1 John, which focuses on the victory of faith and the assurance of salvation. Immediately preceding it, 1 John 5:1 declares, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." This sets the stage for 1 John 5:2 by establishing the spiritual family relationship—those born of God are siblings. Verse 2 then clarifies how this love for God's children is known, linking it directly to loving God and keeping His commandments. The subsequent verse, 1 John 5:3, further reinforces this connection, stating, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." Thus, 1 John 5:2 acts as a pivotal bridge, demonstrating the practical outworking of the spiritual birth mentioned in 1 John 5:1 and providing the evidence for the love described in 1 John 5:3. The entire passage underscores the inseparability of faith, love, and obedience as hallmarks of genuine Christian life.
Historical & Cultural Context: First John was written to a community grappling with false teachings, likely a nascent form of Gnosticism, which promoted a dualistic worldview and often separated spiritual knowledge from ethical conduct. These false teachers might have claimed superior spiritual insight while neglecting moral imperatives or communal love. John's letter, therefore, serves as an apologetic and pastoral epistle, providing criteria for discerning true faith from counterfeit claims. In the Greco-Roman world, "love" (agape) was distinct from mere affection (philia) or erotic desire (eros); John's use of agapáō emphasizes a self-sacrificial, volitional love rooted in God's character. The concept of "commandments" (entolḗ) would resonate with both Jewish and Gentile converts, recalling the Law of Moses but now reinterpreted through the lens of Christ's teachings, particularly the new commandment to love one another (John 13:34). John's emphasis on tangible actions (keeping commandments) as proof of internal states (love for God and children of God) directly counters any Gnostic tendency to elevate abstract knowledge above practical righteousness and communal responsibility.
Key Themes: First John 5:2 powerfully articulates several foundational themes prevalent throughout the epistle. Firstly, it highlights the Interconnectedness of Love, asserting that love for God and love for fellow believers are not independent virtues but are inextricably linked. John consistently argues that one cannot genuinely love God without also loving those whom God loves and has spiritually begotten, as seen in 1 John 4:20. Secondly, the verse underscores Obedience as the Proof of Love. It moves beyond mere sentiment, demonstrating that true love for God is not merely an emotional state but an active commitment expressed through adherence to His will and commands. This theme is a cornerstone of Johannine theology, echoed in Jesus' own words in John 14:15. Thirdly, the verse functions as a Test of Authenticity, providing a practical criterion for believers to assess the genuineness of their love for the Christian community. It suggests that superficial affection is insufficient; true love for the "children of God" must stem from, and be evidenced by, a deeper, obedient love for God Himself. This serves to counter any claims of spiritual superiority that lack the fruit of righteous living and communal harmony.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs Conditional Statement and Parallelism to convey its profound theological truth. The structure "By this we know... when we love God, and keep his commandments" functions as a clear conditional statement, setting forth the conditions under which the knowledge of genuine love for God's children is attained. This creates a logical framework for understanding the interdependent relationship between these spiritual virtues. Furthermore, there is a subtle Chiasm or Inclusio at play, where the concept of "love" frames the verse: "love the children of God" (A) is known "when we love God" (A'). This highlights the reciprocal and unified nature of divine and brotherly love. The verse also functions as an Indicator or Test, providing a practical means for self-examination and discernment, especially important in a context where false teachers might claim spiritual insight without demonstrating practical love or obedience. John's characteristic Johannine Dualism is also present, implicitly contrasting genuine love (rooted in God and obedience) with counterfeit or superficial affection.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse encapsulates a core theological truth of the New Testament: the inseparable connection between vertical love (love for God) and horizontal love (love for neighbor/brother). John emphatically states that these are not independent expressions but two sides of the same coin. True love for God is not merely an emotional sentiment but is demonstrated through active obedience to His will. And it is this very obedience, flowing from love for God, that then authenticates and empowers genuine love for His children. This means that our relationships with fellow believers are a direct reflection of our relationship with God. If we truly love God, we will naturally love those whom He has adopted into His family, and this love will be expressed in practical ways, just as our love for God is expressed in practical obedience. This challenges any notion of piety that separates devotion to God from compassionate and obedient living within the community of faith.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
First John 5:2 serves as a profound mirror for self-examination, prompting us to consider the authenticity and source of our love for those within the Christian community. Is our affection for fellow believers merely based on shared interests, personal compatibility, or superficial sentiment? Or does it spring from a deeper, more fundamental wellspring—a genuine, obedient love for God Himself? This verse reminds us that true Christian love for others is not self-generated but is a divine overflow, a fruit of our intimate relationship with the Father. If we find ourselves struggling to love certain brothers or sisters in Christ, this verse directs us inward, challenging us to examine the depth of our love for God and the sincerity of our obedience to His commands. It calls us to cultivate a heart that delights in God's will, knowing that such a heart will naturally extend grace, patience, and self-giving love to all His children, even those who may be difficult to love. Our obedience to God is the ultimate proof that our love for His family is not just talk, but a tangible reality.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How are love for God and love for fellow believers connected according to 1 John 5:2?
Answer: According to 1 John 5:2, love for God and love for fellow believers are inextricably linked and mutually validating. The verse states that our love for "the children of God" (fellow believers) is known and confirmed "when we love God, and keep his commandments." This means that genuine love for our spiritual siblings flows directly from a sincere and active love for God, which is evidenced by our obedience to His commands. One cannot truly exist without the other; they are two sides of the same coin of authentic Christian living. If our love for God is real and expressed in obedience, then our love for His children will naturally follow and be evident.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
First John 5:2 finds its ultimate fulfillment and perfect embodiment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the preeminent "Child of God" and the supreme example of one who loved God perfectly and kept all His commandments without deviation. Jesus declared, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," and His entire life was a testament to this truth, culminating in His obedient sacrifice on the cross (Philippians 2:8). His love for God was absolute, and this perfect love propelled Him to lay down His life for "the children of God" (John 15:13). Through His atoning work, Christ not only fulfilled the law of love but also empowered believers to live out the very love and obedience described in this verse. As those "born of God" through faith in Christ (1 John 5:1), we are given the Holy Spirit, who enables us to love God and keep His commandments (Romans 5:5) and thereby genuinely love our spiritual family. Thus, Christ is both the pattern for our love and obedience, and the divine source enabling us to live in accordance with this profound truth.