Bible Strands
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The apostle John writes to early Christians to define the practical evidence of genuine love for God and His people. He places this definition immediately after explaining how faith overcomes the world and before concluding his argument about divine love.
The words — ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (hē agapē tou theou) = the love of God; ἵνα (ina) = that. The text defines this love not as an emotion but as the concrete action of keeping God’s commands.
The thread — John explicitly links love and obedience in John 14:15 and John 15:10, where keeping commandments is the condition for remaining in Christ’s love. He also echoes the covenant pattern of Deuteronomy 7:9, which grounds obedience in God’s prior faithfulness.
Why it lands — The verse demands that readers measure their love by observable obedience rather than internal feeling. It requires accepting that divine instructions are manageable for those aligned with God’s purpose.
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
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Cross-references
- John 14:15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
- John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
- Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- John 14:21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
- 2 John 1:6 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.
- 1 John 2:3 By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.
- Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- John 15:14 You are My friends if you do what I command you.
- Romans 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.
- Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.