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1 John 3:17

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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?

But {G1161} whoso {G3739}{G302} hath {G2192} this world's {G2889} good {G979}, and {G2532} seeth {G2334} his {G846} brother {G80} have {G2192} need {G5532}, and {G2532} shutteth up {G2808} his {G846} bowels {G4698} of compassion from {G575} him {G846}, how {G4459} dwelleth {G3306} the love {G26} of God {G2316} in {G1722} him {G846}?

If someone has worldly possessions and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how can he be loving God?

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?

But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?

Commentary

Commentary on 1 John 3:17 KJV

The Apostle John, known for his profound emphasis on love, presents a crucial test of genuine faith in 1 John 3:17. This verse challenges believers to demonstrate their love not merely through profession, but through tangible acts of compassion and generosity towards those in need, particularly within the Christian community. It asks a penetrating question about the authenticity of one's spiritual life.

Context

This powerful verse directly follows John's declaration in 1 John 3:16: "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Having established the ultimate example of God's sacrificial love demonstrated by Christ, John immediately brings this lofty principle down to earth. If divine love leads to laying down one's life, how much more should it lead to sharing one's material possessions to meet a brother's genuine need? The context underscores that true Christian love is active and practical, not merely emotional or theoretical.

Key Themes

  • Practical Love vs. Professed Love: John contrasts the emptiness of claiming to love God with the necessity of demonstrating that love through concrete actions. The verse implies that a lack of practical help when one has the means indicates a fundamental absence of God's love within. This echoes the New Testament's consistent teaching that faith without works is dead, as elaborated in James 2:15-16.
  • Compassion and Generosity: The core message is a call for believers to open their hearts and resources to fellow Christians who are suffering or lacking basic necessities. It highlights the moral inconsistency of withholding help when one has the capacity to alleviate distress.
  • The Indwelling of God's Love: The rhetorical question, "how dwelleth the love of God in him?", challenges the very presence of divine love. God's love (agape) is inherently giving and sacrificial. If this love truly resides in a person, it will naturally manifest in a similar outward-focused, benevolent manner, especially towards other believers.

Linguistic Insights

  • "This world's good" (τὸν βίον τοῦ κόσμου): The Greek word for "good" here is bios (βίον), which refers to one's livelihood, means of life, or material possessions and wealth. It specifically points to tangible resources.
  • "Shutteth up his bowels [of compassion]": This vivid and somewhat archaic phrase translates the Greek kleiō ta splagchna (κλείει τὰ σπλάγχνα). The term splagchna (σπλάγχνα) literally denotes the intestines or inner organs (such as the heart, liver, and lungs). In ancient cultures, these organs were considered the seat of deep emotions, particularly pity, tenderness, and compassion. To "shut up" one's bowels of compassion means to suppress or withhold deep empathy and practical care. It signifies a hardened heart or an unwillingness to feel and act on behalf of another's suffering.

Practical Application

1 John 3:17 remains profoundly challenging and relevant for believers today. It compels us to:

  1. Examine Our Hearts: Do we genuinely feel compassion for those in need, especially within our spiritual family? Are we quick to rationalize inaction, or are we truly moved to help?
  2. Act on Our Faith: True love is not just a feeling; it demands action. This verse calls us to be attentive to the needs around us and to use whatever resources (financial, material, time, skills) God has blessed us with to meet those needs. This directly aligns with Christ's teaching about caring for "the least of these" in Matthew 25:40.
  3. Live Out God's Love: The presence of God's love in us should be evident in our willingness to share. Our generosity becomes a powerful testimony to the transforming power of Christ and the reality of the divine love dwelling within us, reflecting the communal spirit of the early church (Acts 2:44).
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Hebrews 13:16 (43 votes)

    But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

  • Deuteronomy 15:7 (24 votes)

    If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

  • Deuteronomy 15:11 (24 votes)

    For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

  • Isaiah 58:7 (23 votes)

    [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

  • Isaiah 58:10 (23 votes)

    And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:

  • 1 John 4:20 (23 votes)

    If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

  • Proverbs 19:17 (21 votes)

    ¶ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.