1 John 3:17

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ We, for our part, know that we have passed from death to life because we keep loving the brothers. The person who fails to keep on loving is still under the power of death. ¹⁴ *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. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn't love his brother remains in death. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love one another. The person who does not lovedoesn't love his brother">[fn] remains in death.1 John 2:9-11;">[xr] ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death unto life, by this, that we love our brethren. He who loveth not his brother, in death continueth. ¹⁴ We know that we have turned from death unto life, by this, that we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, remaineth in death. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. ¹⁴ We are conscious that we have come out of death into life because of our love for the brothers. He who has no love is still in death. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. ¹⁴ We know that we are translated from death vnto life, because we loue the brethren: he that loueth not his brother, abideth in death.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

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?

whoso Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Proverbs 19:17; Isaiah 58:7-10; Luke 3:11; 2 Corinthians 8:9,14,15; 9:5-9; 1 Timothy 6:17,18; Hebrews 13:16

shutteth

Proverbs 12:10; *marg: ; Proverbs 28:9

how

4:20; 5:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:30 - his bowels;  Leviticus 25:35 - then;  Deuteronomy 10:19 - General;  Deuteronomy 24:19 - may bless;  Deuteronomy 26:13 - I have not;  Ruth 2:16 - General;  1 Kings 3:26 - her bowels;  2 Chronicles 28:15 - clothed;  Job 31:17 - the fatherless;  Psalm 25:6 - thy tender mercies;  Psalm 77:9 - shut up;  Psalm 125:4 - Do good;  Proverbs 3:9 - General;  Proverbs 14:21 - he that hath;  Proverbs 14:31 - but;  Proverbs 17:5 - mocketh;  Proverbs 19:7 - yet;  Proverbs 24:11 - General;  Ecclesiastes 11:3 - the clouds;  Song of Solomon 5:4 - my bowels;  Isaiah 63:15 - thy bowels;  Ezekiel 33:31 - for with;  Matthew 6:2 - when;  Matthew 26:11 - ye have;  Mark 12:31 - Thou;  Mark 12:44 - all her;  Luke 1:78 - tender;  Luke 11:41 - rather;  John 5:42 - that;  Acts 2:45 - parted;  Romans 12:13 - Distributing;  1 Corinthians 13:5 - seeketh;  1 Corinthians 16:1 - the saints;  2 Corinthians 6:12 - in your;  2 Corinthians 7:15 - inward affection is;  2 Corinthians 8:8 - prove;  2 Corinthians 9:12 - only;  Galatians 2:10 - that;  Ephesians 1:15 - love;  Philippians 1:8 - in;  Colossians 3:12 - bowels;  Philemon 1:20 - refresh;  Hebrews 6:10 - work;  James 1:27 - To visit;  1 John 2:15 - the love;  1 John 4:11 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered the snake, "No, we can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.

Genesis 3:2
The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said unto the serpent: 'Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said, We may take of the fruit of the trees in the garden:

Genesis 3:2
And the woman sayde vnto the serpent: We eate of ye fruite of the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said vnto the serpent, We eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of all the trees of the garden;

Genesis 3:2
"We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered,

Genesis 3:2
Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made, and the serpent said to the woman, Wherefore has God said, Eat not of every tree of the garden?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But whoso hath this world's good,.... The possessions of this world, worldly substance, the temporal good things of it; for there are some things in it, which are honestly, pleasantly, and profitably good, when used lawfully, and not abused, otherwise they are to the owner's hurt: or "the living of this world"; that which the men of the world give up themselves to, are bent upon, and pursue after; or on which men live, and by which life is maintained, and preserved, and made comfortable in the present state of things; such as meat, drink, apparel, money, houses, lands, &c. The Ethiopic version renders it, "he that hath the government of this world"; as if it pointed at a person that is in some high office of worldly honour and profit, and is both great and rich; but the words are not to be restrained to such an one only, but refer to any man that has any share of the outward enjoyments of life; that has not only a competency for himself and family, but something to spare, and especially that has an affluence of worldly substance; but of him that has not, it is not required; for what a man distributes ought to be his own, and not another's, and in proportion to what he has, or according to his ability:

and seeth his brother have need; meaning, not merely a brother in that strict and natural relation, or bond of consanguinity; though such an one in distress ought to be, in the first place, regarded, for no man should hide himself from, overlook and neglect his own flesh and blood; but any, and every man, "his neighbour", as the Ethiopic version reads, whom he ought to love as himself; and especially a brother in a spiritual relation, or one that is of the household of faith: if he has need; that is, is naked and destitute of daily food, has not the common supplies of life, and what nature requires; and also, whose circumstances are low and mean, though not reduced to the utmost extremity; and if he sees him in this distress with his own eyes, or if he knows it, hears of it, and is made acquainted with it, otherwise he cannot be blameworthy for not relieving him.

And shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him; hardens his heart, turns away his eyes, and shuts his hand; has no tenderness in him for, nor sympathy with his distressed brother, nor gives him any succour: and this shows, that when relief is given, it should be not in a morose and churlish manner, with reflection and reproach, but with affection and pity; and where there is neither one nor the other,

how dwelleth the love of God in him? neither the love with which God loves men; for if this was shed abroad in him, and had a place, and dwelt in him, and he was properly affected with it, it would warm his heart, and loosen his affections, and cause his bowels to move to his poor brother: nor the love with which God is loved; for if he does not love his brother whom he sees in distress, how should he love the invisible God? 1 John 4:20; nor that love which God requires of him, which is to love his neighbour as himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But whoso hath this world‘s good - Has property - called “this world‘s good,” or a good pertaining to this world, because it is of value to us only as it meets our wants this side of the grave; and perhaps also because it is sought supremely by the people of the world. The general meaning of this verse, in connection with the previous verse, is, that if we ought to be willing to lay down our lives for others, we ought to be willing to make those comparatively smaller sacrifices which are necessary to relieve them in their distresses; and that if we are unwilling to do this, we can have no evidence that the love of God dwells in us.

And seeth his brother have need - Need of food, of raiment, of shelter; or sick, and poor, and unable to provide for his own wants and those of his family.

And shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him - The bowels, or “upper viscera,” embracing the heart, and the region of the chest generally, are in the Scriptures represented as the seat of mercy, piety, and compassion, because when the mind feels compassion it is that part which is affected. Compare the notes at Isaiah 16:11.

How dwelleth the love of God in him? - How can a man love God who does not love those who bear his image? See the notes at 1 John 4:20. On the general sentiment here, see the notes at James 2:14-16. The meaning is plain, that we cannot have evidence of piety unless we are ready to do good to others, especially to our Christian brethren. See the Matthew 25:45 note; Galatians 6:10 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

But whoso hath this worlds good - Here is a test of this love; if we do not divide our bread with the hungry, we certainly would not lay down our life for him. Whatever love we may pretend to mankind, if we are not charitable and benevolent, we give the lie to our profession. If we have not bowels of compassion, we have not the love of God in us; if we shut up our bowels against the poor, we shut Christ out of our hearts, and ourselves out of heaven.

This world's good. - Του βιον του κοσμου· The life of this world, i.e. the means of life; for so βιος is often used. See Mark 12:44; Luke 8:43; Luke 15:12, Luke 15:30; Luke 21:4, and other places.

How dwelleth the love of God in him? - That is, it cannot possibly dwell in such a person. Hardheartedness and God's love never meet together, much less can they be associated.