1 John 4:20

If anyone says, “I love God,” while hating his brother, he is a liar. Well, how can he love God whom he has not seen, while not loving his brother whom he has seen?

Family 35 New Testament

In The King James Version

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?

In Context

19We love Him because He first loved us.

21Indeed, this commandment we have from Him: he who loves God must love his brother also.

Read all of 1 John 4

Cross References

1 Peter 1:8—whom not having understood you love, into whom believing (not yet seeing) you exult with joy inexpressible, already glorified,

1 John 2:4He who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the Truth is not in him.

1 John 2:11But he who keeps on hating his brother is in the darkness and keeps walking in the darkness; he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 4:12No one has ever looked at God. If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is being perfected in us.

Matthew Henry on 1 John 4:18-21

The Divine Love. ( a. d. 80.) 17 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. 18 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. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 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? 21 And this… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 John 4:20