John · Chapter 13 · Love

John 13:34 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.

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Read in chapter context · John 13

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another."

KJV · King James Version

"A new2537 commandment1785 I give1325 unto you5213, That2443 ye love25 one another240; as2531 I have loved25 you5209, that2443 ye5210 also2532 love25 one another240."

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses unto, while the WEB renders these as just. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

John 13:34 in John 13

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is John 13:34 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of John 13. Read the full chapter →

v.32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.
v.33 Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.
v.34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
v.35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
v.36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”

Book background

About the Book of John

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Gospel
Author: John the apostle, son of Zebedee
Date written: c. 85–95 AD
Audience: A mixed audience facing both Jewish and proto-gnostic challenges
Chapters: 21

John's Gospel is structured around seven "signs" (miracles) and seven "I am" statements, framing Jesus as God incarnate — "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (1:14). It contains the most famous verse in the Bible (3:16), the High Priestly Prayer (17), and the most explicit declarations of Jesus' deity.

Setting: The latest Gospel; written so that readers "may believe" (20:31).

Key themes: life · light · belief · love · glory

Read John from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise John 13:34

John 13:34 contains 23 words in 4 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

A new commandment I give to you

ANCIGT
2

that you love one another

TYLOA
3

Just as I have loved you

JAIHLY
4

you also love one another.

YALOA

Frequently asked

FAQ about John 13:34

What does John 13:34 say?

John 13:34 reads: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another." — from the New Testament, John (Gospel). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is John 13:34 in?

John 13:34 is in the book of John, traditionally attributed to John the apostle, son of Zebedee and written around c. 85–95 AD. John is gospel in the New Testament, originally addressed to A mixed audience facing both Jewish and proto-gnostic challenges. Best known for John 3:16 and the "I am" statements.

What is John 13:34 about?

John 13:34 is primarily a Bible verse about Love. Within John, John's Gospel is structured around seven "signs" (miracles) and seven "I am" statements, framing Jesus as God incarnate — "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (1:14). Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between John 13:34 in WEB and KJV?

John 13:34 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "A new2537 commandment1785 I give1325 unto you5213, That2443 ye love25 one another240; as2531 I have loved25 you5209, that2443 ye5210 also2532 love25 one another240.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is John 13:34?

John 13:34 is 23 words in the WEB translation (112 characters), broken into 4 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 7 seconds.

How can I memorise John 13:34?

To memorise John 13:34, split it into its 4 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does John 13:34 matter in John?

How can I apply John 13:34 today?

Many readers use John 13:34 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download John 13:34 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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