1 John 4:20

if any one may say — 'I love God,' and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God — whom he hath not seen — how is he able to love?

Young's Literal Translation

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 — we love him, because He — He first loved us;

21and this [is] the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.

Read all of 1 John 4

Cross References

1 Peter 1:8whom, not having seen, ye love, in whom, now not seeing and believing, ye are glad with joy unspeakable and glorified,

1 John 2:4he who is saying, 'I have known him,' and his command is not keeping, a liar he is, and in him the truth is not;

1 John 2:11and he who is hating his brother, in the darkness he is, and in the darkness he doth walk, and he hath not known whither he doth go, because the darkness did blind his eyes.

1 John 4:12God no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another, God in us doth remain, and His love is having been 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 →

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Study 1 John 4:20