Text -- 1 John 3:11 (NET)

God Is Love, So We Must Love One Another

3:11 For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another,

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Jo 3:11

¹ tn It could be argued (1) that the ὅτι (Joti) at the beginning of 3:11 is grammatically subordinate to the preceding statement at the end of 3:10. As BDF §456.1 points out, however, “Subordination with ὅτι and διότι is often very loose…and must be translated ‘for.’” Thus (2) ὅτι assumes an inferential sense, standing at the beginning of a new sentence and drawing an inference based upon all that has preceded. This is confirmed by the structural parallel between the present verse and 1:5.

² tn The word “gospel” is not in the Greek text but is supplied to clarify the meaning. See the notes on the words “gospel” and “message” in 1 John 1:5.

³ tn See the note on the word “message” in 1 John 1:5, where this same phrase occurs.

⁴ sn For this is the gospel message…that we should love one another. The structure of this verse is parallel to 1:5, indicating the beginning of a second major section of the letter.