1 John 4:11-21

English Standard Version

¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²^(A)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and ^(B)his love is perfected in us.

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