Bible Strands
John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to the disciples at the Last Supper, immediately after issuing the "new commandment" (v. 34); Peter's confused question in v. 36 shows they are still seated, unaware of what is coming.
The words — τοὺτῳ (toutō, "by this") is a dative demonstrative pointing back to the love command as the identifying mark. γνῶσονται (gnōsontai) is future passive: "will be known" — the recognition is done to the disciples by others, not something they perform.
The thread — 1 John 3:10 uses the same "by this" formula to distinguish God's children from the devil's; 1 John 2:10 and 4:20 tie love of brother directly to standing in the light and to the truth of one's claim on God.
Why it lands — Mutual love is framed as a public identifier, not a private virtue, and the standard is set by Jesus's own love (v. 34), not by human capacity.
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
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Cross-references
- 1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
- 1 John 2:10 Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.
- 1 John 3:10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
- John 17:21 that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
- 1 John 2:5 But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:
- Acts 4:32 The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.
- Genesis 13:7 And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land.
- Acts 5:12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.