In verse 16 John has shown what true love is, taking as example an extreme situation, a matter of life and death. In the present verse he proceeds to discuss the case of those who do not even show love in more common circumstances.

If any one has, or ‘whoever has,’ ‘whenever a person has.’ The Greek uses here the construction discussed in the note on “whoever keeps” in 2.5.

To have the world’s goods: for world compare comments on 2.15, meaning (2). Here the word serves to show that the reference is to the ordinary things of life. In many versions it is not expressly represented in translation; compare ‘to have all one needs,’ ‘not to lack anything,’ ‘to have possessions/riches.’ In some languages the two opposite concepts ‘to have goods’ and ‘to be in need’ are simply expressed by ‘to have’ and ‘not to have.’

Sees his brother in need, or ‘sees that his brother is in need,’ ‘sees that his brother has not enough to live (or is lacking the necessities of life).’ Sees is used here in a rather generic sense, referring to any form of perception; hence ‘to notice,’ ‘to find’ are possible renderings also.

Closes his heart against him, that is, shuts his heart so that the thought of his brother cannot enter. The idiom serves to express that the person in question has no compassion.

Heart renders here a Greek word literally meaning “entrails,” “bowels.” This term is used figuratively for the seat of emotions, especially the seat and source of love, sympathy, and pity. In several languages the normal equivalent is ‘heart’ (as it is in English), in others it is ‘liver,’ ‘stomach,’ ‘spleen,’ ‘gall,’ ‘abdomen,’ ‘what-is-inward,’ etc.

A literal rendering of “to close the heart” may be dangerous, as is proved by one language where it refers to having an epileptic fit. In some languages one can use an equivalent metaphorical expression; for example, ‘shuts the door of his heart against him,’ ‘dries his heart against him,’ ‘his heart hurts not concerning the other.’ In several other languages one has to use a nonmetaphorical rendering such as ‘does not have compassion on him,’ ‘does not pity him,’ ‘has no feeling whatever’ (for him).

How does God’s love abide in him? is a rhetorical question anticipating a negative answer. It is sometimes better translated in the negative, ‘God’s love cannot possibly abide in him.’ For “to abide in” see comments on 2.14.

For the three possible interpretations of the construction God’s love, see comments on “love for God” in 2.5. It is difficult to decide which is the more probable interpretation here.

The translator may choose interpretation (1), which takes God as the one who loves (which is in accordance with verses like 3.1). Rendered thus the clause is a reference to an aspect of God’s being. This fits the following verb, since “to abide in” often serves to express a very close relationship between an aspect of God’s being and man. In the opinion of the present authors, it is advisable to follow this interpretation. Where the noun ‘love’ has to be rendered by a verb, one may have to say something like ‘how can God love him and keep loving him?’ or ‘how can God who loves (him) go on working in his heart?’

But it is possible also (2) to take God as the one who is loved. Then one may say, for example, ‘how can the love for God continue in his heart?’ This interpretation is also found in the freer rendering of Good News Translation, “how can he claim that he has love for God in his heart?”

Finally (3) one may consider an interpretation that is qualitative. This results in “how can it be said that the divine love dwells in him?” (New English Bible), ‘how can he love and keep loving in the way God taught him?’

Quoted with permission from Haas, C., de Jonge, M. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on The First Letter of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .