20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(A) is a liar.(B) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(C) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(D) 21 And he has given us this command:(E) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(F)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

Everyone who believes(G) that Jesus is the Christ(H) is born of God,(I) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.(J)

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer,[a] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.[b]

Faith in the Son of God

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[c] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.

Footnotes

  1. 4:20 Greek hates his brother.
  2. 4:21 Greek The one who loves God must also love his brother.
  3. 5:1 Or the Messiah.