Word Studies¶
Question¶
What commandments is Jesus referring to in John 14:15? How does "If ye love me, keep my commandments" parallel Exodus 20:6's "them that love me, and keep my commandments"? Trace the love-commandments formula from Exodus 20:6 through every biblical occurrence. Analyze the Greek grammar of John 14:15. Examine who was speaking in Exodus 20. How do John's epistles define the love-commandment relationship? What is the significance of Revelation 14:12?
Hebrew Word Studies¶
'ahab -- H157 (to love)¶
Original: אָהַב Transliteration: 'ahab Pronunciation: aw-hab Part of Speech: Verb (primitive root) BLB Count: 208 Definition: To have affection for (sexually or otherwise); to love, like, befriend.
Translations¶
- 211 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: loveth (14), loved (12), love (10), to love (8)
Key Verses (in the love-commandments formula)¶
- Exo 20:6 -- "them that love me, and keep my commandments" (Qal active participle: 'ohabay -- "those who love me")
- Deu 5:10 -- "them that love me and keep my commandments" (identical form)
- Deu 6:5 -- "thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart"
- Deu 7:9 -- "them that love him and keep his commandments"
- Deu 11:1 -- "thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge"
- Deu 11:13 -- "to love the LORD your God"
- Deu 11:22 -- "to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways"
- Deu 30:16 -- "to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments"
- Jos 22:5 -- "to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments"
Morphology in the Formula¶
In Exo 20:6 and Deu 5:10, 'ahab appears as a Qal active participle, masculine plural, absolute with a 1st common singular pronominal suffix: אֹהֲבַי ('ohabay) = "those who love me." The participle describes characteristic, ongoing, habitual action -- not a one-time act but a settled disposition of love.
LXX Connections¶
| Greek Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| G25 agapao (to love) | 144x | 6.51 |
| G5368 phileo (to be fond of) | 12x | -- |
| G3404 miseo (to hate -- antonym context) | 24x | -- |
| G5384 philos (friend) | 11x | -- |
Key finding: H157 'ahab maps overwhelmingly to G25 agapao in the LXX (144 of ~208 occurrences). This is the same Greek verb Jesus uses in John 14:15 (ean agapate me). The LXX of Exo 20:6 reads tois agaposin me -- the identical verb connecting the Decalogue formula to Jesus's upper room statement.
'ahabah -- H160 (love, noun)¶
Original: אַהֲבָה Transliteration: 'ahabah Pronunciation: a-hab-aw Part of Speech: Feminine noun BLB Count: 40 Definition: Feminine of H157; love (as abstract concept).
Key Occurrences¶
- Song of Songs (9x) -- romantic/relational love
- Jeremiah 2:2 -- "the love of thine espousals"
- Jeremiah 31:3 -- "I have loved thee with an everlasting love"
- Hosea 11:4 -- "I drew them with...bands of love"
mitsvah -- H4687 (commandment)¶
Original: מִצְוָה Transliteration: mitsvah Pronunciation: mits-vaw Part of Speech: Feminine noun (from H6680 tsavah, "to command") BLB Count: 181 Definition: A command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law); commandment, law, ordinance, precept.
Translations¶
- 190 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: the commandments (27), his commandments (24), my commandments (23), thy commandments (20)
Key Verses (in the love-commandments formula)¶
- Exo 20:6 -- "keep my commandments" (mitsvotay -- feminine plural + 1cs suffix "my commandments")
- Deu 5:10 -- "keep my commandments" (identical form)
- Deu 7:9 -- "keep his commandments" (mitsvotav -- 3ms suffix)
- Deu 10:13 -- "keep the commandments of the LORD"
- Ecc 12:13 -- "keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man"
Morphology in the Formula¶
In Exo 20:6, mitsvah appears as מִצְוֹתָי (mitsvotay): feminine plural absolute + 1st common singular suffix = "my commandments." The construct שֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָי (shomrey mitsvotay) = "keepers of my commandments" links the verb shamar directly to its object.
LXX Connections¶
| Greek Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| G1785 entole (commandment) | 153x | 6.75 |
| G5442 phylasso (to guard) | 66x | -- |
| G1345 dikaioma (ordinance) | 27x | -- |
| G1781 entellomai (to command, verb) | 46x | -- |
Key finding: H4687 mitsvah maps to G1785 entole 153 times in the LXX -- the dominant translation. This is the same Greek word used in John 14:15 (tas entolas tas emas), 1 John 5:3, Rev 12:17, Rev 14:12, and Rev 22:14. The LXX establishes that NT entole carries the full semantic weight of OT mitsvah -- divine commandment.
shamar -- H8104 (to keep, guard)¶
Original: שָׁמַר Transliteration: shamar Pronunciation: shaw-mar Part of Speech: Verb (primitive root) BLB Count: 468 Definition: Properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to: beware, be circumspect, take heed, keep, mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save, sure, watch.
Translations¶
- 508 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: keep (29), to keep (24), kept (23), and keep (19)
Key Verses (in the love-commandments formula)¶
- Exo 20:6 -- "keep my commandments" (Qal active participle: shomrey = "those who keep/guard")
- Deu 5:10 -- "keep my commandments" (identical)
- Deu 7:9 -- "keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments"
- Deu 11:1 -- "keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments"
- Deu 30:16 -- "to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments"
Morphology in the Formula¶
In Exo 20:6, shamar appears as שֹׁמְרֵי (shomrey): Qal active participle, masculine plural, construct = "keepers of." Like 'ahab, the participle describes habitual, characteristic action. The construct state binds it directly to mitsvotay: "keepers-of my-commandments" -- the keeping is inseparable from the commandments kept.
LXX Connections¶
| Greek Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| G5442 phylasso (to guard) | 355x | 5.55 |
| G1785 entole (commandment) | 78x | -- |
| G5438 phylake (prison, guard) | 36x | -- |
| G1345 dikaioma (ordinance) | 38x | -- |
| G5083 tereo (to keep, observe) | 10x | 4.78 |
Key finding: H8104 shamar maps primarily to G5442 phylasso in the LXX (355x) but also to G5083 tereo (10x). The LXX formula consistently uses phylasso (Exo 20:6, Deu 5:10, 7:9, Neh 1:5, Dan 9:4), while John 14:15 uses tereo. Both Greek words translate the same Hebrew root shamar, establishing lexical continuity despite the vocabulary shift. John's consistent preference for tereo over the LXX's phylasso is a significant datum for analysis.
torah -- H8451 (law, instruction)¶
Original: תּוֹרָה Transliteration: towrah Pronunciation: to-raw Part of Speech: Feminine noun (from H3384 yarah, "to throw, shoot, instruct") BLB Count: 219 Definition: A precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch; law, instruction.
Key Verses¶
- Psa 119:97 -- "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day"
- Jer 31:33 -- "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts"
Relevance¶
Torah provides the broader category ("instruction/law") of which mitsvah ("commandment") is a specific unit. Psalm 119:97 uses torah as the object of love, paralleling the love-commandments formula. Jeremiah 31:33's new covenant promise writes torah on the heart -- the internalization of the same commandments that were on stone.
leb -- H3820 (heart)¶
Original: לֵב Transliteration: leb Pronunciation: labe Part of Speech: Masculine noun Definition: A form of H3824 (lebab); the heart; also used figuratively for the inner person, mind, will.
Key Verses¶
- Deu 6:5 -- "thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart"
- Jer 31:33 -- "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts"
Relevance¶
The heart (leb) is the seat of the love that the formula demands. The Shema (Deu 6:5) commands love for God from the heart; the new covenant promise (Jer 31:33) writes the commandments on the heart. This connects the love-commandments formula to its internalized fulfillment.
Greek Word Studies¶
agapao -- G25 (to love)¶
Original: ἀγαπάω Transliteration: agapao Pronunciation: ag-ap-ah'-o Part of Speech: Verb BLB Count: 142 Definition: Perhaps from agan (much); to love (in a social or moral sense): beloved, love. Compare G5368 phileo.
Translations¶
- 73 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: love (13), Thou shalt love (8), loveth (6), beloved (6)
Key Verses¶
- Jhn 14:15 -- "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (ean agapate me -- Present Active Subjunctive, 2nd Plural)
- Jhn 14:21 -- "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me"
- Jhn 14:23 -- "If a man love me, he will keep my words"
- Jhn 15:10 -- "ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments"
- 1 Jhn 4:19 -- "We love him, because he first loved us"
- 1 Jhn 5:2 -- "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments"
Morphology in John 14:15¶
ἀγαπᾶτέ (agapate) = Present Active Subjunctive, 2nd Person Plural. The present tense in the subjunctive implies ongoing, continuous love (not a single act). Combined with ean, it forms a third-class conditional: "If you love me [and it is expected that you do/can]..."
Hebrew Source via LXX¶
| Hebrew Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| H157 'ahab (to love) | 144x | 6.51 |
Key finding: G25 agapao is the overwhelmingly dominant LXX translation of H157 'ahab. When the LXX renders Exo 20:6 as tois agaposin me, and John writes ean agapate me, the same Greek verb bridges both texts. The love Jesus asks for in John 14:15 is the same love the Decalogue describes in Exo 20:6.
agape -- G26 (love, noun)¶
Original: ἀγάπη Transliteration: agape Pronunciation: ag-ah'-pay Part of Speech: Feminine noun (from G25) BLB Count: 117 Definition: Love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast.
Translations¶
- 84 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: love (45), charity (21), of love (4)
Key Verses¶
- 1 Jhn 4:8 -- "God is love" (ho theos agape estin)
- 1 Jhn 4:16 -- "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God"
- 1 Jhn 5:3 -- "This IS the love of God, that we keep his commandments" (haute estin he agape tou Theou, hina tas entolas autou teromen)
- 2 Jhn 1:6 -- "This IS love, that we walk after his commandments" (haute estin he agape, hina peripatomen kata tas entolas autou)
Relevance¶
John uses agape as the noun form of the love-commandment relationship. His definitional equations (1 Jhn 5:3, 2 Jhn 1:6) use estin ("is") to formally equate agape with commandment-keeping. This makes love not an abstract sentiment but a concrete, defined reality: love IS keeping commandments.
entole -- G1785 (commandment)¶
Original: ἐντολή Transliteration: entole Pronunciation: en-tol-ay' Part of Speech: Feminine noun (from G1781 entellomai, "to command") BLB Count: 71 Definition: Injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription: commandment, precept.
Translations¶
- 43 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: commandment (23), commandments (12), precept (2)
Key Verses (threading through the entire study)¶
- Jhn 14:15 -- "keep my commandments" (tas entolas tas emas)
- Jhn 14:21 -- "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them"
- Jhn 14:31 -- "as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do"
- Jhn 15:10 -- "If ye keep my commandments...even as I have kept my Father's commandments"
- Jhn 15:12 -- "This is my commandment, That ye love one another"
- Jhn 13:34 -- "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another"
- Rom 7:12 -- "the commandment is holy, and just, and good"
- Rom 13:9 -- "the commandments" (lists 7th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th Decalogue commands)
- 1 Jhn 2:3 -- "we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments"
- 1 Jhn 2:7 -- "an old commandment which ye had from the beginning"
- 1 Jhn 3:23 -- "this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son...and love one another"
- 1 Jhn 5:3 -- "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous"
- 2 Jhn 1:5-6 -- "that we love one another...walk after his commandments...This is the commandment"
- Rev 12:17 -- "which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ"
- Rev 14:12 -- "they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus"
- Rev 22:14 -- "Blessed are they that do his commandments"
Morphology in John 14:15¶
τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς (tas entolas tas emas) = Accusative Plural Feminine with double article (second attributive position). The construction article + noun + article + possessive is emphatic: "the commandments -- specifically, the ones that are MINE." This is not a generic reference but a pointed identification of a specific set of commandments belonging to Jesus.
Hebrew Source via LXX¶
| Hebrew Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| H4687 mitsvah (commandment) | 153x | 6.75 |
Key finding: G1785 entole is the single most consistent Greek equivalent for H4687 mitsvah in the LXX. The same word threads through: (1) the Decalogue formula (Exo 20:6 LXX via Deu 7:9, Neh 1:5, Dan 9:4), (2) Jesus's upper room discourse (Jhn 14:15,21; 15:10,12), (3) John's definitional equations (1 Jhn 2:3; 5:3; 2 Jhn 1:6), (4) Paul's Decalogue identification (Rom 7:12; 13:9), and (5) the eschatological conclusion (Rev 12:17; 14:12; 22:14). One word binds the entire arc.
tereo -- G5083 (to keep, guard, observe)¶
Original: τηρέω Transliteration: tereo Pronunciation: tay-reh'-o Part of Speech: Verb (from teros, "a watch") BLB Count: 75 Definition: To guard (from loss or injury), properly by keeping the eye upon: hold fast, keep, observe, preserve, reserve, watch.
Translations¶
- 47 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: keep (7), to keep (4), observe (3), keepeth (3)
Key Verses (John's consistent usage)¶
- Jhn 14:15 -- "keep my commandments" (teresete -- see textual variant below)
- Jhn 14:21 -- "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them"
- Jhn 14:23 -- "he will keep my words"
- Jhn 14:24 -- "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings"
- Jhn 15:10 -- "If ye keep my commandments...as I have kept my Father's commandments"
- Jhn 17:6 -- "they have kept thy word"
- 1 Jhn 2:3 -- "we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments"
- 1 Jhn 2:4 -- "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar"
- 1 Jhn 2:5 -- "whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected"
- 1 Jhn 3:22 -- "we keep his commandments"
- 1 Jhn 3:24 -- "he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him"
- 1 Jhn 5:3 -- "that we keep his commandments" (hina tas entolas autou teromen)
- Rev 12:17 -- "which keep the commandments of God"
- Rev 14:12 -- "they that keep the commandments of God" (hoi terountes tas entolas tou Theou)
- Rev 22:7 -- "blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy"
Critical Textual Variant in John 14:15¶
- N1904 text: τηρήσετε (teresete) = Future Active Indicative, 2nd Person Plural -- "you WILL keep"
- Textus Receptus: τηρήσατε (teresate) = Aorist Active Imperative, 2nd Person Plural -- "KEEP!"
- The N1904 reading makes the apodosis a promise/declaration: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments"
- The TR reading makes it a command: "If you love me, keep my commandments"
- Both readings are theologically consistent; the difference is whether commandment-keeping is presented as the natural result of love (future indicative) or the commanded response to love (imperative)
Morphology in Key Passages¶
- Jhn 14:15 (N1904): τηρήσετε = V-FAI-2P (Future Active Indicative, 2nd Person Plural)
- 1 Jhn 5:3: τηρῶμεν = V-PAS-1P (Present Active Subjunctive, 1st Person Plural) -- ongoing keeping
- Rev 14:12: τηροῦντες = V-PAP-NPM (Present Active Participle, Nominative Plural Masculine) -- substantival: "those who [characteristically] keep"
Hebrew Source via LXX¶
| Hebrew Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| H5341 natsar (to watch, guard) | 8x | 7.27 |
| H8104 shamar (to keep, guard) | 10x | 4.78 |
Key finding: G5083 tereo is a secondary LXX translation of H8104 shamar (only 10x vs. phylasso's 355x). Yet John consistently chooses tereo over phylasso for commandment-keeping throughout his Gospel, epistles, and Revelation. Both words translate the same Hebrew root and carry the same core meaning (to guard, keep, observe), but tereo may carry a stronger connotation of watchful preservation ("keeping the eye upon") rather than protective guarding ("hedging about"). John's deliberate, consistent vocabulary choice creates a distinctive Johannine "keeping" terminology that nonetheless connects back to the same OT shamar.
phylasso -- G5442 (to guard, keep)¶
Original: φυλάσσω Transliteration: phylasso Pronunciation: foo-las'-so Part of Speech: Verb (probably from G5443 phyle, "a tribe" -- through the idea of isolation/guarding) BLB Count: 30 Definition: To watch, i.e. be on guard (literally or figuratively); by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid: beware, keep (self), observe, save.
Translations¶
- 29 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: keep (6), to keep (3), have I kept (2), beware (2)
Key Verses¶
- Luk 11:28 -- "Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it"
- Jhn 12:25 -- "He that loveth his life shall lose it...he that hateth his life...shall keep it"
- Jhn 12:47 -- "if any man hear my words, and believe not...I came not to judge...but to save"
- Jhn 17:12 -- "I kept them in thy name" (Jesus guarding the disciples)
- Acts 7:53 -- "received the law...and have not kept it"
- Rom 2:26 -- "if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law"
- 1 Jhn 5:21 -- "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (final command of 1 John)
Hebrew Source via LXX¶
| Hebrew Equivalent | LXX Count | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|
| H8104 shamar (to keep, guard) | 355x | 5.55 |
The LXX Formula¶
In the LXX translation of every OT love-commandments formula passage, phylasso is the standard verb for "keep": - Exo 20:6 LXX: tois agaposin me kai tois phylassousin ta prostag- mou - Deu 5:10 LXX: tois agaposin me kai tois phylassousin ta mou - Deu 7:9 LXX: tois agaposin auton kai tois phylassousin tas entolas autou - Neh 1:5 LXX: tois agaposin auton kai tois phylassousin tas entolas autou - Dan 9:4 LXX: tois agaposin se kai tois phylassousin tas entolas sou
Key finding: phylasso is the standard LXX verb in the love-commandments formula (translating shamar 355x overall). John 14:15 breaks from this LXX convention by using tereo instead. Both words translate H8104 shamar and are functionally synonymous in context, but John's consistent preference for tereo (across Gospel, epistles, and Revelation) represents a deliberate Johannine vocabulary choice. The meaning is the same; the word is different. This creates a distinctive Johannine register while maintaining semantic continuity with the OT formula.
ean -- G1437 (if, conditional particle)¶
Original: ἐάν Transliteration: ean Pronunciation: eh-an' Part of Speech: Conjunction (from G1487 ei + G302 an) BLB Count: 276 Definition: A conditional particle; in case that, provided, if.
Translations¶
- 217 total KJV occurrences
- Top translations: if (127), If (22), except (18), though (11)
Grammatical Function in John 14:15¶
ἐάν + subjunctive (agapate) = third-class conditional. The third-class conditional presents the condition as a genuine possibility that the speaker expects can and should be fulfilled. It is not: - First-class (ei + indicative): assumed true for argument's sake - Second-class (ei + indicative ... an + indicative): contrary to fact
The third-class is the condition of probability/expectation. Jesus presents the love of His disciples as something that is expected and attainable, not doubtful, but also not assumed as already accomplished. The subjunctive mood adds a note of contingency: the love must be genuine, active, ongoing -- and if it is, the consequence follows.
nomos -- G3551 (law)¶
Original: νόμος Transliteration: nomos Pronunciation: nom'-os Part of Speech: Masculine noun (from nemo, "to parcel out") BLB Count: 197 Definition: Law (through the idea of prescriptive usage); especially the Mosaic Law.
Relevance¶
nomos is the broader term for "law" (paralleling H8451 torah), while entole is the specific "commandment" (paralleling H4687 mitsvah). Key passages use nomos in the love-fulfillment context: - Rom 13:10 -- "love is the fulfilling of the law (nomou)" - Gal 5:14 -- "all the law (nomos) is fulfilled in one word...Thou shalt love thy neighbour"
pleroo -- G4137 (to make full, fulfill)¶
Original: πληρόω Transliteration: pleroo Pronunciation: play-ro'-o Part of Speech: Verb (from G4134 pleres, "full") BLB Count: 90 Definition: To make replete, i.e. to cram, level up (a hollow); figuratively to furnish, satisfy, execute, finish, verify, fill up, fulfill.
Key Verse¶
- Gal 5:14 -- "all the law is fulfilled (peplerotai -- Perfect Passive Indicative) in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"
Relevance¶
pleroo describes what love does to the law: it fills it up, completes it, brings it to its full measure. This is not abolition or replacement but full expression. Love fulfills the law by providing the internal motivation (love for God and neighbor) that results in external obedience (keeping the commandments). The love-commandments formula (Exo 20:6 / Jhn 14:15) is the mechanism by which fulfillment occurs.
anomia -- G458 (lawlessness)¶
Original: ἀνομία Transliteration: anomia Pronunciation: an-om-ee'-ah Part of Speech: Feminine noun (from G459 anomos, "without law") BLB Count: 15 Definition: Illegality, i.e. violation of law or (genitive case) wickedness: iniquity, transgression of the law, unrighteousness.
Key Verse¶
- 1 Jhn 3:4 -- "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (anomia)"
Relevance¶
anomia is the antonym of commandment-keeping. John defines sin as anomia -- lawlessness, the violation of God's commandments. This definition appears in the same epistle (1 John) that defines love as keeping commandments (1 Jhn 5:3). Together, these definitions create a complete framework: love = keeping commandments; sin = breaking them. The love-commandments formula of Exo 20:6 / Jhn 14:15 is thus the positive expression of what anomia (sin) negates.
LXX Bridge Summary: The Vocabulary Chain Across Testaments¶
The LXX provides a direct lexical bridge between the Hebrew formula and the Greek NT:
| Role in Formula | Hebrew (OT) | LXX Greek | NT Greek (John) |
|---|---|---|---|
| "love" | H157 'ahab | G25 agapao (144x) | G25 agapao |
| "commandments" | H4687 mitsvah | G1785 entole (153x) | G1785 entole |
| "keep" | H8104 shamar | G5442 phylasso (355x) | G5083 tereo |
The vocabulary is identical in two of three positions (agapao, entole). The third position (shamar/phylasso/tereo) shows a shift from phylasso in the LXX to tereo in John, but both translate H8104 shamar. John's tereo is a minority LXX equivalent of shamar (10x vs. 355x for phylasso), but it is a legitimate equivalent that carries the same semantic range: to guard, keep, watch over, observe.
The Formula Across History¶
The love-commandments formula uses this vocabulary chain at every point:
| Passage | Date (approx.) | Formula Words |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 20:6 | ~1446 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Deu 5:10 | ~1406 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Deu 7:9 | ~1406 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Deu 11:1,13,22 | ~1406 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Deu 30:16 | ~1406 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Jos 22:5 | ~1400 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Neh 1:5 | ~445 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Dan 9:4 | ~538 BC | 'ahab + shamar + mitsvah |
| Jhn 14:15 | ~AD 30/90 | agapao + tereo + entole |
| 1 Jhn 5:3 | ~AD 90 | agape + tereo + entole |
| 2 Jhn 1:6 | ~AD 90 | agape + peripateo + entole |
| Rev 14:12 | ~AD 95 | -- + tereo + entole (+ pistis) |
The formula spans from the Decalogue to the eschatological conclusion of the canon, maintaining the same three-element structure: love + keep + commandments.