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1 John 4:7-21
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 John 4:7-21
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Knowing God through Love
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God(A) and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way:[a] God sent(B) His One and Only Son(C) into the world so that we might live(D) through Him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us(E) and sent His Son to be the[b] propitiation(F) for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.(G) 12 No one has ever seen God.[c](H) If we love one another, God remains in[d] us and His love is perfected in us.
13 This is how we know that we remain in Him(I) and He in us: He has given assurance to us from His Spirit.(J) 14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son(K) as the world’s Savior. 15 Whoever confesses[e](L) that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
17 In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,(M) for we are as He is in this world.(N) 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,(O) because fear involves punishment.[f] So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.(P) 19 We love[g] because He first loved us.(Q)
Keeping God’s Commands
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother,(R) he is a liar.(S) For the person who does not love his brother(T) he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen.[h] 21 And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 John 4:9 Or revealed in us
- 1 John 4:10 Or a
- 1 John 4:12 Since God is an infinite being, no one can see Him in His absolute essential nature; Ex 33:18-23.
- 1 John 4:12 Or remains among
- 1 John 4:15 Or acknowledges
- 1 John 4:18 Or fear has its own punishment or torment
- 1 John 4:19 Other mss add Him
- 1 John 4:20 Other mss read has seen, how is he able to love . . . seen? (as a question)
1 John 4:7-21
New International Version
1 John 4:7-21
New International Version
God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(B) and knows God.(C) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(D) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(E) into the world that we might live through him.(F) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(G) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(H) 11 Dear friends,(I) since God so loved us,(J) we also ought to love one another.(K) 12 No one has ever seen God;(L) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(M)
13 This is how we know(N) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(O) 14 And we have seen and testify(P) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(Q) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(R) God lives in them and they in God.(S) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.(T) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(U) 17 This is how love is made complete(V) among us so that we will have confidence(W) on the day of judgment:(X) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(Y) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us.(Z) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(AA) is a liar.(AB) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(AC) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(AD) 21 And he has given us this command:(AE) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(AF)
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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