“We know love

By this,

That Jesus

Laid down his life

For us.

We ought to lay down

Our lives

For our brothers.”

Ἐν τούτῳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν· καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὰς ψυχὰς θεῖναι.

This author said, “We know (ἐγνώκαμεν) love (τὴν ἀγάπην) by this (Ἐν τούτῳ), that Jesus (ὅτι ἐκεῖνος) laid down (ἔθηκεν) his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ) for us (ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν).  We ought (καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν) to lay down (θεῖναι) our lives (τὰς ψυχὰς) for our brothers (ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν).”  This author explained what love is.  They knew that Jesus Christ loved us so much that he laid down his life for us.  He was a martyr witness to great love for all of us with his crucifixion.  Thus, this example of extreme love was what we should be able to do.  He wanted his readers to also lay down their lives for their fellow brother believers.  The highest expression of love is to give up your own life for someone else.  Jesus Christ had done this.  We should expect the same, since we were followers of Jesus Christ.  Are you willing to die for someone else?