Berean Bible

Back to Reader

1 John

3

:

7

Little children, let no one lead you astray; the one practicing righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
Little children, A little child. N-VNP H5040 Τεκνία teknia
{let} no one No one, none, nothing. Adj-NMS H3367 μηδεὶς mēdeis
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

lead you astray To lead astray, deceive, cause to wander. V-PMA-3S H4105 πλανάτω planatō
practicing (a) to make, manufacture, construct, (b) to do, act, cause. V-PPA-NMS H4160 ποιῶν poiōn
righteousness (usually if not always in a Jewish atmosphere), justice, justness, righteousness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness. N-AFS H1343 δικαιοσύνην dikaiosunēn
righteous, Just; especially, just in the eyes of God; righteous; the elect (a Jewish idea). Adj-NMS H1342 δίκαιος dikaios
just as According to the manner in which, in the degree that, just as, as. Adv H2531 καθὼς kathōs
righteous. Just; especially, just in the eyes of God; righteous; the elect (a Jewish idea). Adj-NMS H1342 δίκαιος dikaios

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
Berean Bible Little children, let no one lead you astray; the one practicing righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
King James Bible Little children, let no one lead you astray; the one practicing man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, just even as He he is righteous.
Hebrew Greek English Little children, let make sure no one lead you astray; deceives you; the one practicing who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.righteous;
New American Standard Bible 1995 Little children, let make sure no one lead you astray; deceives you; the one practicing who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.righteous;