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)

¹¹ Dear friends,^(A) since God so loved us,^(B) we also ought to love one another.^{(C) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(D) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(E)

¹³ This is how we know^(F) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^(G)

¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(A) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^{(B) 17} This is how love is made complete^(C) among us so that we will have confidence^(D) on the day of judgment:^(E) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(F) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.