1 John 4:11-20

New King James Version

¹¹ Beloved, ^(A)if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

^12 (B)No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been 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. ¹⁴ And ^(D)we have seen and testify that ^(E)the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. ^15 (F)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and ^(G)he who abides in love abides in God, and God ^(H)in him.

The Consummation of Love

¹⁷ Love has been perfected among us in this: that ^(I)we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ^19 (J)We love ^[a]Him because He first loved us.

Obedience by Faith

^20 (K)If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, ^[b]how can he love God ^(L)whom he has not seen?