1 John 3 · Verse 18

1 John 3:18

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18, King James Version

1 John 3:18 in other translations

BSBLittle children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
WEBMy little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
ASVMy little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
YLTMy little children, may we not love in word nor in tongue, but in word and in truth!
DARBYChildren, let us not love with word, nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth.
BBEMy little children, do not let our love be in word and in tongue, but let it be in act and in good faith.
WebsterMy little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

What does 1 John 3:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. When the venerable John could no longer walk to the meetings of the Church but was borne thither by his disciples, he always uttered the same address to the Church; he reminded them of that one commandment which he had received from Christ Himself, as comprising all the rest, and forming the distinction of the new covenant, "My little children, love one another." When the brethren present, wearied of hearing the same thing so often, asked why he always repeated the same thing, he replied, "Because it is the commandment of the Lord, and if this one thing be attained, it is enough" [Jerome]. in word--Greek, "with word ... with tongue, but in deed and truth."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue. By mere profession; by merely saying that we love each other. See 1Pet 1:22.

But in deed and in truth. In such acts as shall show that our professed love is sincere and real. Let us do the deed of love, whether anything is said about it or not. Mt 6:3.

(+) "little children" "My children" (e) "let us" Eze 33:31, Rom 12:9, Jas 2:15,16, 1Pet 1:22

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 My little children - Τεκνια μου, My beloved children, let us not love in word - in merely allowing the general doctrine of love to God and man to be just and right; Neither in tongue - In making professions of love, and of a charitable and humane disposition, and resting there; but in deed - by humane and merciful acts; And in truth - Feeling the disposition of which we speak. There is a good saying in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 145, 4, on this point: "If love consisted in word only, then love ceaseth as soon as the word is pronounced. Such was the love between Balak and Balaam. But if love consisteth not in word, it cannot be dissolved; such was the love of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest of the patriarchs which were before them."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 3:16-21

Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of…

Read the full comment on 1 John 3:16-21 →

1 John 3:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤεκνίαTekniaLittle childrenG5040
μου,mouof mineG3165
μὴmēnotG3361
ἀγαπῶμενagapōmenwe may loveG25
λόγῳlogōin wordG3056
μηδὲmēdenorG3366
τῇtēa<the>G3588
γλώσσῃglōssēin tongueG1100
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ἐνeninG1722
ἔργῳergōactionG2041
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀληθείᾳ.alētheiain truth.G225

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 John 3:18

  • James 2:15-16

    If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

  • Romans 12:9

    Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

  • 1 Peter 1:22

    Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

  • Galatians 5:13

    For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

  • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

    Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

  • Galatians 6:1-2

    Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

  • Ephesians 4:1-3

    I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

  • Matthew 25:41-45

    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? …

  • Ephesians 4:15

    But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:3

    Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

  • 2 John 1:1 - 3 John 1:15

    The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
My.
2:1
let.
Ex 33:21; Mt 25:41-45; Ro 12:9; 1Co 13:4-7; Ga 5:13; 6:1,2
Eph 4:1-3,15; 1Th 1:3; Jas 2:15,16; 1Pe 1:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 John 3:17

    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?

  • 1 John 3:18

    My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

  • 1 John 3:19

    And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

Read all of 1 John 3

1 John 3:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hijitos míos, no amemos de palabra ni de lengua, sino de obra y en verdad.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Enfants, n’aimons pas de parole ni de langue, mais en action et en vérité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Kinder, laßt uns nicht lieben mit Worten, noch mit der Zunge, sondern in Tat und Wahrheit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Filioli mei, non diligamus verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate: