And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

1 JOHN 3:19KJV
Know the Bible

1 John 3:19 (KJV)

What does 1 John 3:19 mean?

1 John 3:19 says that by living according to the truth, believers can know they truly belong to God and can find reassurance in their hearts when they stand before Him. This verse is about having confidence that one’s faith and actions show a real connection to God’s truth.

The apostle John is writing to early Christians who may have doubts or fears about their standing with God. In the wider context, John is encouraging his readers that genuine love and truthful living are signs that they are “of the truth.” This assurance is not just a feeling but is based on seeing God’s work in their lives, which gives them peace before God.

The Greek behind 1 John 3:19

  • ἐν τούτῳ (en toutō, “hereby”): This phrase points back to the actions or attitudes just described, showing that assurance comes from something concrete—usually, acts of love or truthfulness.
  • πείθω (peithō, “assure”): This Greek word often means to persuade or convince. Here, it carries the sense of calming or reassuring one’s heart, not by self-talk, but by seeing real evidence of God’s truth in one’s life.
  • καρδία (kardia, “hearts”): In Greek thought, the “heart” is not just emotions but the center of one’s inner life—thoughts, motives, and conscience. The reassurance John describes is deep and personal, not just surface-level comfort.

Why 1 John 3:19 matters

  • 1 John 3:19 clears up the idea that assurance before God is just a feeling; John ties it to real evidence of truth and love in a believer’s life.
  • This verse emphasizes that confidence before God is possible, even for those who sometimes doubt, if their lives show the marks of God’s truth.
  • It connects to the wider passage by showing that love in action is not only a command but also a source of reassurance for Christians who want to know they truly belong to God.

Where else these words appear

“before” Greek G1715 · used in 45 verses

  • Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
  • Matthew 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
  • John 1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

“are” Greek G2070 · used in 51 verses

  • Mark 5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
  • Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
  • Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

“assure” Greek G3982 · used in 55 verses

  • Matthew 27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
  • Acts 21:14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
  • Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

“hereby” Greek G5129 · used in 87 verses

  • Matthew 8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
  • John 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
  • 1 Corinthians 7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.