1 John 3:1
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Opening a section on the believer's identity, John shifts from warning to wonder, marveling at the love that makes God's people his children even as the world fails to recognize them.
What Does 1 John 3:1 Mean?
John calls readers to stop and marvel at the astonishing love that makes believers children of God. "Behold" is a summons to wonder, and "what manner of love" asks how extraordinary this love must be. The Father has "bestowed" or lavished his love on us with the result that we are "called the sons of God" -- and as John adds elsewhere, that is what we truly are. To be a child of God is not a metaphor for distant admiration; it names a real relationship the Father has given. John then explains why this status is often unrecognized: "the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." The same world that failed to recognize God in Christ will fail to recognize those who belong to him. Far from a discouragement, this is reassurance -- being misunderstood by the world is to be expected for those who share God's family identity. The verse holds together two truths: the immense, undeserved love that adopts us, and the quiet cost of belonging to a Father the world does not know. Both flow from the Father's initiative.
In the Original Language
The Greek potapen ("what manner of") expresses amazement at something foreign or extraordinary, and tekna theou ("children of God") stresses real family belonging.
Cross References
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
- John 1:12
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
- Romans 8:16
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
- Galatians 4:6
Application
Pause today to wonder at the love that names you a child of God, and let that identity steady you when the world does not understand you.