1 John 4 · Verse 13

1 John 4:13

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 John 4:13, King James Version

1 John 4:13 in other translations

BSBBy this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.
WEBBy this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
ASVhereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
YLTin this we know that in Him we do remain, and He in us, because of His Spirit He hath given us.
DARBYHereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, that he has given to us of his Spirit.
BBEAnd his Spirit which he has given us is the witness that we are in him and he is in us.
WebsterBy this we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

What does 1 John 4:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. Hereby--"Herein." The token vouchsafed to us of God's dwelling (Greek, "abide") in us, though we see Him not, is this, that He hath given us "of His Spirit" (1Jo 3:24). Where the Spirit of God is, there God is. One Spirit dwells in the Church: each believer receives a measure "of" that Spirit in the proportion God thinks fit. Love is His first-fruit (Ga 5:22). In Jesus alone the Spirit dwelt without measure (Joh 3:34).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him. Here is another, or an additional evidence of it.

Because he hath given us of his Spirit. He has imparted the influences of that Spirit to our souls, producing "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," etc., Gal 5:22,23. It was one of the promises which the Lord Jesus made to his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit to be with them after he should be withdrawn from them, (Jn 14:16,17,26, Jn 15:26, 16:7;) and one of the clearest evidences which we can have that we are the children of God, is derived from the influences of that Spirit on our hearts. See this sentiment illustrated in the Rom 8:16.

(h) "Hereby" Jn 14:20, 1Jn 3:24

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Hereby know we, etc. - See the note on 1Jn 3:24.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 4:7-13

The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. He that does not love the image of God in his people, has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God's nature to be kind, and to give happiness. The law of God is love; and all would have been perfectly happy, had all obeyed it. The provision of the gospel, for the forgiveness of sin, and the salvation of sinners, consistently with God's glory and justice, shows that God is…

Read the full comment on 1 John 4:7-13 →

1 John 4:13 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.

ἐνenByG1722
τούτῳtoutōthisG3778
γινώσκομενginōskomenwe knowG1097
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἐνeninG1722
αὐτῷautōHimG846
μένομενmenomenwe abideG3306
καὶkaiandG2532
αὐτὸςautosHeG846
ἐνeninG1722
ἡμῖν,hēminus,G3165
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
ἐκekfrom outG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
πνεύματοςpneumatosSpiritG4151
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
δέδωκενdedōkenHe has givenG1325
ἡμῖν.hēminto us.G3165

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

Cross references for 1 John 4:13

  • 1 John 3:24

    And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

  • Ephesians 2:20-22

    And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

    Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

  • Galatians 5:22-25

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:12

    Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

  • Romans 8:9-17

    But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. …

  • 1 John 4:15-16

    Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

  • John 14:20-26

    At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. …

  • 1 Corinthians 6:19

    What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
15,16; 3:24; Joh 14:20-26; Ro 8:9-17; 1Co 2:12; 3:16,17; 6:19
Ga 5:22-25; Eph 2:20-22

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

Context

  • 1 John 4:12

    No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

  • 1 John 4:13

    Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

  • 1 John 4:14

    And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Read all of 1 John 4

1 John 4:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		En esto conocemos que estamos en él, y él en nosotros, en que nos ha dado de su Espíritu.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Par ceci nous savons que nous demeurons en lui et lui en nous, c’est qu’il nous a donné de son Esprit;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Hieran erkennen wir, daß wir in ihm bleiben und er in uns, daß er uns von seinem Geiste gegeben hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In hoc cognoscimus quoniam in eo manemus, et ipse in nobis: quoniam de Spiritu suo dedit nobis.