1JN 4:7-21

Love Comes from God

7Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. [4:8] The one not loving has not known God, because God is love. [4:9] In this the love of God has been revealed among us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. [4:10] In this is love — not that we ourselves have loved God, but that he himself loved us and sent his Son as a propitiation for our sins. [4:11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we ourselves also ought to love one another. [4:12] No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. [4:13] By this we know that we abide in him and he in us: that he has given to us from out of his Spirit. [4:14] And we ourselves have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. [4:15] Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God — God abides in him and he in God. [4:16] And we ourselves have come to know and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one abiding in love abides in God, and God abides in him. [4:17] In this love has been perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment — because just as that one is, so also are we in this world. [4:18] There is no fear in love, but complete love casts out fear, because fear has punishment in it; and the one fearing has not been perfected in love. [4:19] We love, because he first loved us. [4:20] If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar. Because the one not loving his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [4:21] And this commandment we have from him: that the one loving God also love his brother.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, love was often understood within the framework of reciprocity and social bonds. Patronage systems and familial obligations shaped how love was expressed and expected. For Jewish listeners, love was deeply tied to covenantal faithfulness, as seen in Deuteronomy’s command to love God and neighbor. The term (one and only) would evoke the unique, unparalleled relationship between God and Jesus, resonating with Jewish monotheism and Hellenistic ideas of divine singularity. (propitiation) would be heard in light of Jewish sacrificial practices, where atonement restored relationship with God. The boldness mentioned would contrast with the cautious speech expected before Roman authorities, suggesting a fearless confidence rooted in divine assurance. (punishment) might be understood as corrective discipline, aligning with Stoic and Jewish ideas of moral formation. The passage’s emphasis on God’s initiative in love would challenge both Roman reciprocity and Jewish covenantal obedience, presenting love as a divine gift rather than a human achievement.

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How other translations render this

1JN 4:7

KJV: Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
BSB: Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Koinōnos: Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1JN 4:8

KJV: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
BSB: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Koinōnos: The one not loving has not known God, because God is love.

1JN 4:9

KJV: In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
BSB: This is how Godʼs love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
Koinōnos: In this the love of God has been revealed among us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him.

1JN 4:10

KJV: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
BSB: And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Koinōnos: In this is love — not that we ourselves have loved God, but that he himself loved us and sent his Son as a propitiation for our sins.

1JN 4:11

KJV: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
BSB: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Koinōnos: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ourselves also ought to love one another.

1JN 4:12

KJV: No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
BSB: No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
Koinōnos: No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

1JN 4:13

KJV: Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
BSB: By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.
Koinōnos: By this we know that we abide in him and he in us: that he has given to us from out of his Spirit.

1JN 4:14

KJV: And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
BSB: And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
Koinōnos: And we ourselves have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

1JN 4:15

KJV: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
BSB: If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
Koinōnos: Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God — God abides in him and he in God.

1JN 4:16

KJV: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
BSB: And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Koinōnos: And we ourselves have come to know and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one abiding in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1JN 4:17

KJV: Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
BSB: In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him.
Koinōnos: In this love has been perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment — because just as that one is, so also are we in this world.

1JN 4:18

KJV: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
BSB: There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
Koinōnos: There is no fear in love, but complete love casts out fear, because fear has punishment in it; and the one fearing has not been perfected in love.

1JN 4:19

KJV: We love him, because he first loved us.
BSB: We love because He first loved us.
Koinōnos: We love, because he first loved us.

1JN 4:20

KJV: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
BSB: If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Koinōnos: If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar. Because the one not loving his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

1JN 4:21

KJV: And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
BSB: And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
Koinōnos: And this commandment we have from him: that the one loving God also love his brother.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1JN 4:9

one and only:The word translated 'one and only' emphasizes the unique and singular nature of Jesus, highlighting that he is the only one of his kind, not merely the firstborn or most beloved.

1JN 4:10

[as] a propitiation:The term used here for 'propitiation' refers to an act that appeases wrath or makes atonement, specifically in a religious context to reconcile with God.

1JN 4:17

confidence:The word translated 'confidence' carried the sense of outspokenness, frankness, and freedom of speech, often implying a bold and unreserved manner in the presence of others.

1JN 4:18

punishment:The word translated 'punishment' in this context often implied a corrective or disciplinary chastisement, rather than merely retributive vengeance.