1 John 5:3

5:3 For ¹  this is the love of God: ²  that we keep his commandments. ³  And his commandments do not weigh us down,

1 John 2:19

2:19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained ⁴  with us. But ⁵  they went out from us ⁶  to demonstrate ⁷  that all of them do not belong to us. ⁸ 

1 John 4:20

4:20 If anyone says ⁹  “I love God” and yet ¹⁰  hates his fellow Christian, ¹¹  he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian ¹²  whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. ¹³ 

[5:3]  ¹ tn The force of the γάρ (gar) at the beginning of 5:3 is similar to another introductory formula used by the author of 1 John, καὶ αὕτη ἐστίν (kai Jauth estin; used in 1:5; 5:4, 11, and 14). The γάρ draws an inference based on the preceding statements, particularly the one in 5:2b, regarding the love of God. If in 5:2 loving God and keeping his commandments is the key to knowing that we love God’s children, it is important to define what the love of God involves, and this is what the author is doing in 5:3. In fact, as the following ἵνα (Jina) clause makes clear, loving God consists in keeping his commandments.

[5:3]  ² tn Once again the genitive could be understood as (1) objective, (2) subjective, or (3) both. Here an objective sense is more likely (believers’ love for God) because in the previous verse it is clear that God is the object of believers’ love.

[5:3]  ³ tn Contrary to the punctuation of NA²⁷ and UBS⁴, it is best to place a full stop (period) following τηρῶμεν (thrwmen) in 5:3. The subordinate clause introduced by ὅτι (Joti) at the beginning of 5:4 is related to the second half of 5:3 which begins with καί (kai). Καί is commonly used by the author to begin a new sentence, probably by analogy with the Hebrew vav consecutive.

[2:19]  ⁴ tn See note on the translation of the Greek verb μένω (menw) in 2:6. Here μένω has been translated as “remained” since it is clear that a change of status or position is involved. The opponents departed from the author’s congregation(s) and showed by this departure that they never really belonged. Had they really belonged, they would have stayed (“remained”).

[2:19]  ⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:19]  ⁶ tn The phrase “they went out from us” is not repeated a second time in the Greek text, but constitutes an ellipsis. For clarity it is necessary to repeat it in the English translation.

[2:19]  ⁷ tn Grk “in order that it may be demonstrated.” The passive infinitive has been translated as active and the purpose clause translated by an infinitive in keeping with contemporary English style.

[2:19]  ⁸ sn All of them do not belong to us. The opponents chose to depart rather than remain in fellowship with the community to which the author writes and with which he associates himself. This demonstrates conclusively to the author that they never really belonged to that community at all (in spite of what they were claiming). 1 John 2:19 indicates that the departure was apparently the opponents’ own decision rather than being thrown out or excommunicated. But for John, if they had been genuine believers, they would have remained in fellowship. Now they have gone out into the world, where they belong (compare 1 John 4:5).

[4:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “if anyone should say…”

[4:20]  ⁸ tn “Yet” is supplied to bring out the contrast.

[4:20]  ⁹ tn See note on the phrase “fellow Christian” in 2:9.

[4:20]  ¹⁰ tn See note on the phrase “fellow Christian” in 2:9.

[4:20]  ¹¹ sn In 4:20 the author again describes the opponents, who claim to love God. Their failure to show love for their fellow Christians proves their claim to know God to be false: The one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.