1 John 4:7-5:3

English Standard Version

God Is Love

⁷Beloved, ^(A)let us love one another, for love is from God, and ^(B)whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸^(C)Anyone who does not love does not know God, because ^(D)God is love. ⁹In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that ^(E)God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, ^(F)not that we have loved God ^(G)but that he loved us and sent his Son to be ^(H)the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²^(I)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and ^(J)his love is perfected in us.

¹³^(K)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And ^(L)we have seen and testify that ^(M)the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of ^(N)the world. ¹⁵^(O)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶So ^(P)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. ^(Q)God is love, and ^(R)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷By this ^(S)is love perfected with us, so that ^(T)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because ^(U)as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but ^(V)perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not ^(W)been perfected in love. ¹⁹^(X)We love because he first loved us. ²⁰^(Y)If anyone says, “I love God,” and ^(Z)hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot^[a] love God ^(AA)whom he has not seen. ²¹And ^(AB)this commandment we have from him: ^(AC)whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Overcoming the World

5 ^(AD)Everyone who believes that ^(AE)Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and ^(AF)everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. ²^(AG)By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³For ^(AH)this is the love of God, that we ^(AI)keep his commandments. And ^(AJ)his commandments are not burdensome.