1 John 3:18 (KJV)

Passage

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Nearby Context

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "little", "children", "love", "word", "neither", "tongue", "deed", and "truth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "little" and "children", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "But whoso hath this world s good..." into verse 19's "And hereby we know that we are...", so "little" and "children" belong inside that flow. In 1 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "little" and "children" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.