1 John 3:23
New International Version
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

New Living Translation
And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

English Standard Version
And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

Berean Standard Bible
And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.

Berean Literal Bible
And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another, just as He gave the commandment to us.

King James Bible
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

New King James Version
And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

New American Standard Bible
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

NASB 1995
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

NASB 1977
And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

Legacy Standard Bible
And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He gave a commandment to us.

Amplified Bible
This is His commandment, that we believe [with personal faith and confident trust] in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and [that we unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, just as He commanded us.

Christian Standard Bible
Now this is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us.

American Standard Version
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.

Contemporary English Version
God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other. This is also what Jesus taught us to do.

English Revised Version
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us.

Good News Translation
What he commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us.

International Standard Version
And this is his commandment: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus the Messiah, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Majority Standard Bible
And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded.

NET Bible
Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment.

New Heart English Bible
This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded us.

Webster's Bible Translation
And this is his commandment; That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Weymouth New Testament
And this is His command--that we are to believe in His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us to do.

World English Bible
This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and this is His command, that we may believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and may love one another, even as He gave command to us,

Berean Literal Bible
And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another, just as He gave the commandment to us.

Young's Literal Translation
and this is His command, that we may believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and may love one another, even as He did give command to us,

Smith's Literal Translation
And this is his command, That we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us command.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ: and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And this is his commandment: that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

New American Bible
And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.

New Revised Standard Version
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he has commanded us.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And this is his commandment: that we believe in The Name of his Son, Yeshua The Messiah, and we should love one another, as he commanded us.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And this is his commandment: That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Godbey New Testament
And this is his commandment, that we may believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and we may love one another with divine love, as he has given to us commandment.

Haweis New Testament
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Mace New Testament
now this is his commandment, that we believe in his son Jesus Christ, and that we love one another, as he commanded us.

Weymouth New Testament
And this is His command--that we are to believe in His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us to do.

Worrell New Testament
And this is the commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Worsley New Testament
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He hath given us a charge to do.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love One Another
22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. 23And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us. 24Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.…

Cross References
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. / By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

John 15:12-14
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. / Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. / You are My friends if you do what I command you.

Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ / This is the first and greatest commandment. / And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ...

John 6:29
Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

1 John 4:21
And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

1 John 5:1-3
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those 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,

2 John 1:5-6
And now I urge you, dear lady—not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. / And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.

Romans 13:8-10
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. / The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” / Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.

James 2:8
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

Mark 12:29-31
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. / Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ / The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. / For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. / Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Ephesians 3:17-19
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, / will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth / of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

1 Peter 1:22-23
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. / For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.


Treasury of Scripture

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

his commandment.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; …

Psalm 2:12
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Mark 9:7
And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

love.

1 John 3:11
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1 John 2:8-10
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth…

1 John 4:21
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

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Believe Christ Command Commanded Commandment Faith Jesus Love
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Believe Christ Command Commanded Commandment Faith Jesus Love
1 John 3
1. He declares the singular love of God toward us, in making us his sons;
3. who therefore ought obediently to keep his commandments;
11. as also to love one another as brothers.














And this is His commandment
The word "commandment" in Greek is "ἐντολή" (entolē), which signifies an authoritative prescription or directive. In the context of 1 John, this commandment is not merely a suggestion but a divine mandate from God. Historically, commandments in the Jewish tradition were seen as expressions of God's will, meant to guide His people in righteousness. Here, John emphasizes the singularity and unity of God's command, which encapsulates the essence of Christian faith and practice.

that we should believe
The Greek word for "believe" is "πιστεύω" (pisteuō), which means to have faith or trust. This belief is not a passive acknowledgment but an active, living faith that transforms the believer's life. In the historical context of the early church, belief in Jesus was a radical departure from both Jewish and pagan traditions, requiring a complete reorientation of one's life and priorities.

in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ
The "name" in biblical terms often represents the character and authority of a person. In Greek, "ὄνομα" (onoma) signifies more than just a label; it embodies the essence of the person. Believing in the "name of His Son, Jesus Christ" means trusting in His divine nature, His redemptive work, and His lordship. The historical Jesus, as the Christ (the Anointed One), fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, and His name carries the weight of God's salvation plan.

and love one another
The Greek word for "love" here is "ἀγαπάω" (agapaō), which refers to selfless, sacrificial love. This is the same love that God shows humanity, and it is the hallmark of Christian community. In the early church, this command to love was revolutionary, breaking down social, ethnic, and economic barriers. It reflects the new covenant community's ethos, where love is the evidence of genuine faith.

just as He commanded us
The phrase "just as He commanded us" underscores the continuity of Jesus' teachings with the apostolic message. The Greek word for "commanded" is "ἐντέλλομαι" (entellomai), which implies a charge or instruction given with authority. Jesus' command to love one another is rooted in His own example and teachings, particularly as seen in John 13:34-35, where He instructs His disciples to love as He has loved them. This command is not optional but integral to the Christian identity and mission.

Verse 23. - And his commandment is this (comp. verse 11), that we should believe the Name, etc. "Do not forget," St. John would say, "what the full scope of his commandment is. It is not exhausted by loving the brethren; we must also believe in his Son: and the one implies the other." What is the meaning of "believing the Name πιστεύειν τῷ ὀνόματι? We can believe a document (John 2:22; John 5:47), or a statement (John 5:47; John 12:38), or a person (John 10:37, 38); but how can we believe a name? By believing those truths which the name implies: in the present case by believing that Jesus is the Saviour, is the Messiah, is the Son of God. To produce this belief and its consequence, eternal life, is the purpose of St. John's Gospel (John 20:31); it is also the will of God (John 6:40), and the command of his Son (John 14:1). This belief will inevitably produce as its fruit that we "love one another [present tense of what is habitual], even as Christ gave us commandment" (John 13:34; John 15:12, 17). Throughout the Epistle, and especially in this passage (verses 22-24), the references to Christ's farewell discourses in the Gospel are frequent. Here the main ideas of those discourses are represented - obedience to the Divine commands, particularly as to faith and love; promised answer to prayer, abiding in God; the gift of the Spirit (see on 1 John 4:5).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

this
αὕτη (hautē)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

is
ἐστὶν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

commandment:
ἐντολὴ (entolē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.

that
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

we should believe
πιστεύσωμεν (pisteusōmen)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

in the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

name
ὀνόματι (onomati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

of His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

Son,
Υἱοῦ (Huiou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

Christ,
Χριστοῦ (Christou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

we should love
ἀγαπῶμεν (agapōmen)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

one another
ἀλλήλους (allēlous)
Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 240: One another, each other. Genitive plural from allos reduplicated; one another.

just as
καθὼς (kathōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2531: According to the manner in which, in the degree that, just as, as. From kata and hos; just as, that.

He commanded
ἐντολὴν (entolēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.

us.
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Letters: 1 John 3:23 This is his commandment that we should (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 3:22
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