1 John 3:1 (ASV)

Passage

Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and [such] we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Nearby Context

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and [such] we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.

1 John 3:3 And every one that hath this hope [set] on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "world", "behold", "manner", "love", "father", "hath", and "bestowed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "world", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The next verse adds "Beloved now are we children of God...", so "called" and "world" should be read forward into that movement. In 1 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

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