¹⁶ And so we ·know [have come to know] the love that God has for us, and we ·trust [believe; rely on] that love.

God is love. Those who ·live [abide; remain] in love ·live [abide; remain] in God, and God ·lives [abides; remains] in them. ¹⁷ This is how love ·is made perfect [is made complete; comes to full expression] ·in [or among] us: that we can ·be without fear [have boldness; have confidence; 2:28; 3:21; 5:14] on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him [^Cprobably referring to Christ, our example of love]. ¹⁸ ·Where God’s love is, there is no fear [^LThere is no fear in love], because ·God’s perfect love drives out fear [^Tperfect love casts out fear]. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made ·perfect [complete] in the person who fears [^Cfear of punishment, not an appropriate fear of God; compare Prov. 1:7; 2 Cor. 7:15; Phil. 2:12].

¹⁹ We love because ·God [^Lhe] first loved us.