1 John 3:12 - Revised Standard Version (RSV-CI)

¹² and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹² Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹² [And] not be like Cain who [took his nature and got his motivation] from the evil one and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his deeds (activities, works) were wicked and malicious and his brother's were righteous (virtuous).

American Standard Version (1901)

¹² not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

Common English Bible

¹² Don’t behave like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he kill him? He killed him because his own works were evil, but the works of his brother were righteous.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹² Do not be like Cain, who was of the evil one, and who killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked, but his brother's works were just.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

¹² Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother's just.

1 John 3:12 Cross References

Genesis 4:25

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.”

2 Samuel 13:22

But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

Psalm 37:12

The wicked plots against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth at him;

Psalm 38:20

Those who render me evil for good are my adversaries because I follow after good.

Proverbs 27:4

Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming; but who can stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 29:10

Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless, and the wicked seek his life.

Proverbs 29:27

An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but he whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

Matthew 13:19

When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path.

Matthew 13:38

the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one,

Matthew 23:35

that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Matthew 27:23

And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified.”

Matthew 5:37

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Luke 11:51

from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation.

John 10:32

Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?”

John 8:40

but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did.

John 8:41

You do what your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”

Acts 7:52

Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,

1 Thessalonians 2:14

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea; for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,

Hebrews 11:4

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous, God bearing witness by accepting his gifts; he died, but through his faith he is still speaking.

Hebrews 12:24

and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.

1 Peter 4:4

They are surprised that you do not now join them in the same wild profligacy, and they abuse you;

1 John 3:8

He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Jude 1:11

Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error, and perish in Korah's rebellion.

Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her I marveled greatly.