1 John 4:20

If any one says that he loves God, while he hates his brother man, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother man whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Weymouth NT (1912)

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 because God first loved us.

21And the command which we have from Him is that he who loves God must love his brother man also.

Read all of 1 John 4

Cross References

1 Peter 1:8Him you love, though your eyes have never looked on Him. In Him, though at present you cannot see Him, you nevertheless trust, and triumph with a joy which is unspeakable and is crowned with glory,

1 John 2:4He who professes to know Him, and yet does not obey His commands, is a liar, and the truth has no place in his heart.

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

1 John 4:12No one has ever yet seen God. If we love one another, God continues in union with us, and His love in all its perfection is in our hearts.

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