What Does 1 Corinthians 8:3 Mean in the King James?

But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

1 Corinthians 8:3 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The verse’s center is not your grasp of God but God’s recognition of the one who loves him.

THE MEANING

When you love God, you are known by him: recognized through encounter, not reduced to information about you. The verse holds your love within God’s continuing recognition.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The lie this undoes is that knowing about God makes you secure in being known by him; the verse places love and God’s recognition at the center.

THE ROOT

ἔγνωσται

egnōstai

GROWS FROM

γινωσκ-

ginōsk-

To know, perceive, or recognize through encounter.

The Greek form means “has been known,” presenting God’s knowing as an ongoing recognition. English can make “known” sound like possessing information; this root carries the sense of being recognized in relationship.

ALSO GROWS

gnōsis: knowledge

γνῶσις

This same root names the knowledge discussed just above in 1 Corinthians 8:1; the passage distinguishes possessing knowledge from being known in relationship.

epiginōskō: recognize, know fully

ἐπιγινώσκω

This compound shares the knowing root and carries recognition into fuller knowing, echoing the verse’s focus on being known by God.

THE PATTERN

In scripture, knowing God reaches its full shape when the person is also known by God.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Psalm 139:1 · KJVThe psalm joins God’s searching with God’s personal knowing of the one who speaks.

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

John 10:14 · KJVKnowing moves both ways: the shepherd knows his own, and they are known by him.

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Galatians 4:9 · KJVThe verse turns from the claim “ye have known God” to the deeper ground “are known of God.”

THE THREAD

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Galatians 4:9 · KJV

Galatians uses the same Greek knowing root and then corrects the direction: “ye have known God” becomes “rather are known of God.” That same turn is compressed here: love leads into God’s recognition.

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