1 John 4:8

1 John 4:8

6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. ^aBy this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Knowing God Through Love

7 ^aBeloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who ^bloves is born of God and knows God.

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 ^aIn this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten ^bSon into the world, that we might live through Him.

10 In this is love, ^anot that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son ^bto be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, ^aif God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

12 ^aNo 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 ^aBy this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14 And ^awe have seen and testify that ^bthe Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

15 ^aWhoever 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 ^ahe who abides in love abides in God, and God ^bin him.

The Consummation of Love

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that ^awe 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.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< 1 John 4:7

1 John 4:9 >>

He that loveth not (o mh agapwn). Present active articular participle of agapaw "keeps on not loving."

Knoweth not God (ouk egnw ton qeon). Timeless aorist active indicative of ginwskw, has no acquaintance with God, never did get acquainted with him.

God is love (o qeov agaph estin). Anarthrous predicate, not h agaph. John does not say that love is God, but only that God is love. The two terms are not interchangeable. God is also light (I John 1:5) and spirit (John 4:24).

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 John 4:8:**

John 4:24
1 Corinthians 8:3
1 John 4:16

<< 1 John 4:7

1 John 4:9 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.