1 John 4:20
Maybe somebody will say, “I love God.” But that person hates another Christian. Well, that person is lying. Think about it. It’s easier to love somebody if you can see them. But it’s harder to love somebody that you can’t see. Well, we can see other Christians, but we can’t see God. So if somebody doesn’t love other Christians, then we know for sure that they don’t love God.
Plain English Version
In The King James Version
In Context
Cross References
1 Peter 1:8You never saw Jesus, but you love him. You can’t see him now, but you trust him. You are trusting God, and he is saving you, so you are really happy. You are so happy you can’t properly say how happy you are.
1 John 2:4Maybe somebody will say, “I know God.” But they don’t listen to God, and they don’t do what he says. Well, that person is lying. If they don’t listen to God, that shows that they don’t really know him, and they don’t believe his true message.
1 John 2:11But if anybody hates another Christian, it’s like they are walking around in the dark, so they can’t see properly. They don’t understand God’s true message, and they don’t live God’s way.
1 John 4:12You know, nobody ever saw God. But if we love each other, that shows that God is joined up with us, and his love is truly 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 →