1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. So anyone who is afraid has not reached perfection in love.

Open English Bible (US)

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

17This is the way love has reached its perfection among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Christ.

19We love, because God first loved us.

Read all of 1 John 4

Cross References

Psalms 88:15From my youth I am wretched and dying, I am numbed by the terrors I bear.

Luke 1:74that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,

2 Timothy 1:7For the Spirit which God gave us was not a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of power, love, and self-control.

James 2:19It is a part of your faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.

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 4:18