7 My little children, let no man take you out of the true way: he who does righteousness is upright, even as he is upright;
If you have knowledge that he is upright, it is clear to you that everyone who does righteousness is his offspring.
For it is not the hearers of the law who will be judged as having righteousness before God, but only the doers:
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may be without sin. And if any man is a sinner, we have a friend and helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, the upright one:
But be holy in every detail of your lives, as he, whose servants you are, is holy; Because it has been said in the Writings, You are to be holy, for I am holy.
<Of Solomon.> Give the king your authority, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son. May he be a judge of your people in righteousness, and make true decisions for the poor. May the mountains give peace to the people, and the hills righteousness. May he be a judge of the poor among the people, may he give salvation to the children of those who are in need; by him let the violent be crushed. May his life go on as long as the sun and moon, through all generations. May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth. In his days may the upright do well, living in peace as long as there is a moon in heaven.
Being full of the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
You have the belief that God is one, and you do well: the evil spirits have the same belief, shaking with fear.
But be doers of the word, and not only hearers of it, blinding yourselves with false ideas.
But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is for ever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.
You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil: and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head, lifting you high over all other kings.
Do not be turned from the right way by foolish words; for because of these things the punishment of God comes on those who do not put themselves under him.
Be not tricked; God is not made sport of: for whatever seed a man puts in, that will he get back as grain. Because he who puts in the seed of the flesh will of the flesh get the reward of death; but he who puts in the seed of the Spirit will of the Spirit get the reward of eternal life.
Have you not knowledge that evil-doers will have no part in the kingdom of God? Have no false ideas about this: no one who goes after the desires of the flesh, or gives worship to images, or is untrue when married, or is less than a man, or makes a wrong use of men,
Are you not conscious that you are the servants of him to whom you give yourselves to do his desire? if to sin, the end being death, or if to do the desire of God, the end being righteousness. But praise be to God that though you were the servants of sin, you have now given yourselves freely to that form of teaching under which you were placed; And being made free from sin you have been made the servants of righteousness.
Who will give to every man his right reward: To those who go on with good works in the hope of glory and honour and salvation from death, he will give eternal life: But to those who, from a love of competition, are not guided by what is true, will come the heat of his wrath,
In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
For I say to you, If your righteousness is not greater than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never go into the kingdom of heaven.
But if a man is upright, living rightly and doing righteousness, And has not taken flesh with the blood for food, or given worship to the images of the children of Israel; if he has not had connection with his neighbour's wife, or come near to a woman at the time when she is unclean; And has done no wrong to any, but has given back to the debtor what is his, and has taken no one's goods by force, and has given food to him who was in need of it, and clothing to him who was without it; And has not given his money out at interest or taken great profits, and, turning his hand from evil-doing, has kept faith between man and man, And has been guided by my rules and has kept my laws and done them: he is upright, life will certainly be his, says the Lord.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 John 3
Commentary on 1 John 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The apostle here magnifies the love of God in our adoption (v. 1, 2). He thereupon argues for holiness (v. 3), and against sin (v. 4-19). He presses brotherly love (v. 11-18). How to assure our hearts before God (v. 19-22). The precept of faith (v. 23). And the good of obedience (v. 24).
1Jo 3:1-3
The apostle, having shown the dignity of Christ's faithful followers, that they are born of him and thereby nearly allied to God, now here,
1Jo 3:4-10
The apostle, having alleged the believer's obligation to purity from his hope of heaven, and of communion with Christ in glory at the day of his appearance, now proceeds to fill his own mouth and the believer's mind with multiplied arguments against sin, and all communion with the impure unfruitful works of darkness. And so he reasons and argues,
1Jo 3:11-13
The apostle, having intimated that one mark of the devil's children is hatred of the brethren, takes occasion thence,
1Jo 3:14-19
The beloved apostle can scarcely touch upon the mention of sacred love, but he must enlarge upon the enforcement of it, as here he does by divers arguments and incentives thereto; as,
1Jo 3:20-22
The apostle, having intimated that there may be, even among us, such a privilege as an assurance or sound persuasion of heart towards God, proceeds here,
1Jo 3:23-24
The apostle, having mentioned keeping the commandments, and pleasing God, as the qualification of effectual petitioners in and with Heaven, here suitably proceeds,