1 John 3:15 kjv

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:15 nkjv

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:15 niv

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

1 John 3:15 esv

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:15 nlt

Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them.

1 John 3 verses

1 John 3 15 Meaning

This verse declares that anyone who holds hatred in their heart toward a fellow human being, particularly a fellow believer, is spiritually akin to a murderer. Such a person does not possess eternal life dwelling within them, for eternal life is characterized by God's own love and cannot co-exist with a persistent state of animosity and ill will. It reveals that God judges the intent of the heart, not merely the outward action.

1 John 3 15 Context

1 John Chapter 3 distinguishes between those who are truly children of God and those who remain children of the devil. John provides clear criteria for assessing one's spiritual lineage, emphasizing that children of God practice righteousness and exhibit love, while children of the devil practice sin and lack love. Preceding verse 15, verse 14 states, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." Verse 15 then serves as the critical justification and clarification for this statement: the absence of love, manifested as hatred, is so grave that it is equivalent to spiritual murder, rendering genuine eternal life impossible. This teaching underscores John's stark binary worldview—light versus darkness, life versus death, truth versus falsehood, love versus hatred—which likely countered certain false teachers (possibly proto-Gnostics or libertines) who claimed spiritual insight or salvation without accompanying moral transformation, particularly in their relationships within the Christian community.

1 John 3 15 Word analysis

• Everyone (Πᾶς - Pas): A universal quantifier, emphasizing that this declaration applies to all without exception or qualification. This spiritual truth is absolute.

• who hates (μισῶν - misōn): A present active participle meaning "to hate, detest, or despise." It describes an ongoing state of active and settled animosity, a characteristic attitude of deep ill will, rather than a transient or fleeting emotion. It implies an entrenched spiritual condition.

• his brother (τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ - ton adelphon autou): Primarily refers to a fellow Christian, a member of the family of faith. However, the underlying principle extends broadly to any human being created in God's image, implying that true love encompasses all people (as commanded in Lev 19:18; Matt 5:44). John's specific focus is on love within the believing community as a vital test.

• is (ἐστίν - estin): Simple present tense, indicating a direct statement of being. It signifies a profound identity or established spiritual reality: the person is this, not merely acts like this.

• a murderer (ἀνθρωποκτόνος - anthrōpoktonos): Literally "manslayer" or "homicide." John equates the internal state of hatred with the identity of a murderer, echoing Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:21-22) which traces murder back to inner anger and contempt. This emphasizes the spiritual and moral weight of internal disposition before God.

• and you know (καὶ οἴδατε - kai oidate): John frequently uses this phrase to appeal to a truth already known or understood by his readers, suggesting it was part of their foundational Christian instruction or shared spiritual insight. It implies a firm, established conviction within the community.

• that no (ὅτι πᾶς οὐ - hoti pas ou): This is a strong Greek negation, literally "that all not," which effectively means "no one at all" or "absolutely no." It serves to emphatically assert a universal, undeniable truth about the spiritual incompatibility.

• murderer (ἀνθρωποκτόνος - anthrōpoktonos): Repeated for emphasis, cementing the identity and its consequence.

• has eternal life (ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον - echei zōēn aiōnion): "Has" (ἔχει - echei) is present tense, indicating a continuous, ongoing possession. "Eternal life" (ζωὴν αἰώνιον - zōēn aiōnion) in John's theology is not just unending duration but primarily a quality of life—God's divine life, characterized by light, truth, and love, which begins the moment one knows God (Jn 17:3; 1 Jn 1:2).

• abiding in him (ἐν αὐτῷ μένουσαν - en autō menousan): "Abiding" (μενοῦσαν - menousan) is a participle emphasizing indwelling and continuous residence. Eternal life is meant to be an internal, formative reality dwelling within the believer, shaping their character. Hatred cannot genuinely co-exist as a prevailing attitude where God's loving nature is truly dwelling.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer": This clause draws a direct equivalence between the inward state of sustained hatred and the outward act of murder, demonstrating God's holistic judgment of character and intention. It underscores the spiritual gravity of an unloving heart and positions hatred as fundamentally antithetical to God's law of love.
  • "and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him": This declaration links the spiritual identity of a "murderer" (by way of hatred) with the absolute inability to possess or experience genuine eternal life. It functions as a severe warning and a crucial diagnostic tool for authentic salvation, confirming that the life of God, which is love, cannot inhabit a heart dominated by its opposite.

1 John 3 15 Bonus section

The profound link between hatred and murder highlights the insidious nature of sin: internal sin, if left unchecked, has the potential for the most destructive external outcomes. John's teaching also reinforces the high value God places on human life, recognizing that hatred diminishes a person created in God's image, just as actual murder extinguishes their physical life. The indwelling "eternal life" is portrayed not as a passive gift, but as a dynamic, active principle meant to transform and produce Christ-like character, with love as its primary manifestation. Thus, the absence of love (i.e., presence of hatred) indicates a failure of this divine life to genuinely permeate and define the individual. This serves as a vital test for assurance of salvation and a call to a holy, loving life.

1 John 3 15 Commentary

1 John 3:15 is a profound spiritual teaching that delves into the core of Christian living. It declares that genuine faith is not merely a profession but is evidenced by love for others, particularly fellow believers. By equating a sustained state of hatred with murder, John reveals that God judges the intent and disposition of the heart, not just the outward act. Hatred, as a deep-seated animosity or desire for another's ill-being, fundamentally contradicts God's nature, which is love (1 Jn 4:8, 16). Therefore, a heart dominated by hatred cannot be truly indwelt by eternal life, which is the very life and character of God Himself. Eternal life is not simply future existence but a present reality, transforming one's being and producing a loving character. A "murderer" in this context refers to someone whose fundamental spiritual state is characterized by such animosity that they lack this divine love, thereby being aligned with spiritual death rather than life (Jn 8:44). This verse urges believers to self-examine, root out any unloving attitudes, and actively pursue Christlike love as an essential manifestation of true salvation. For instance, holding unforgiveness for years, desiring misfortune upon someone who wronged you, or rejoicing in the downfall of an enemy are all examples of a spirit contrary to the indwelling of eternal life.