Bible Strands
1 John 2:10
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The author addresses a community evaluating their spiritual condition, contrasting verbal claims of faith with the observable reality of how believers treat one another. The verse directly responds to the preceding and following statements about walking in darkness versus light.
The words — ἀγαπῶν (agapōn) translates literally as "loving," and φωτὶ (phōti) means "light," establishing the verse's structural claim that fraternal love sustains a person within divine revelation.
The thread — The text links love to spiritual transition in 1 John 3:14, which states that loving brothers proves passage from death to life. The stumbling motif in Romans 9:32 and the pursuit of divine knowledge in Hosea 6:3 provide parallel imagery for spiritual direction and failure.
Why it lands — The text states that love for a brother prevents spiritual stumbling and confirms residence in the light. It requires readers to treat their conduct toward other believers as the objective metric for verifying their own spiritual standing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
Cross-references
- 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
- Romans 9:32 Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
- Hosea 6:3 So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.
- Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
- Matthew 13:21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
- Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!
- John 8:31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.
- 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
- Luke 17:1 Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
- Philippians 1:10 so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,