1 John 4:15

1 John 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
• New International Version (NIV)If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

Context of 1 John 4:15

13By this we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His [Holy] Spirit. 14We [who were with Him in person] have seen and testify [as eye-witnesses] that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. 17In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world.

1 John 4:15 word by word

ὃς ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ θεῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• shall confessὁμολογέωhomologeō · to confess/professG3670
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the Sonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• dwellethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532

Cross-references for 1 John 4:15

• 1 John 4:2By this you know and recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ has [actually] come in the flesh [as a man] is from God [God is its source];
• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes [with a deep, abiding trust in the fact] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is born of God [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose], and everyone who loves the Father also loves the child born of Him.
• Matthew 10:32“Therefore, the one who confesses and acknowledges Me before men [as Lord and Savior, affirming a state of oneness with Me], that one I will also confess and acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.
• Luke 12:8“I say to you, whoever declares openly and confesses Me before men [speaking freely of Me as his Lord], the Son of Man also will declare openly and confess him [as one of His own] before the angels of God.
• Romans 10:9because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
• Philippians 2:11and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.
• 2 John 1:7For many deceivers [heretics, posing as Christians] have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge and confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh (bodily form). This [person, the kind who does this] is the deceiver and the antichrist [that is, the antagonist of Christ].
• 1 John 4:12No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us.
• 1 John 3:24The one who habitually keeps His commandments [obeying His word and following His precepts, abides and] remains in Him, and He in him. By this we know and have the proof that He [really] abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us [as a gift].

Commentaries on 1 John 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Whosoever shall confess - Much stress is laid on this confession, because the false teachers denied the reality of the incarnation; but this confession implied also such a belief in Christ as put them in possession of his pardoning mercy and indwelling Spirit.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God - In the true sense, and from the heart. This will always prove that a man is a Christian. But the passage cannot mean that if he merely says so in words, or if he does it insincerely, or without any proper sense of the truth, it will prove that he is a Christian. On the meaning of the sentiment here expressed, see the notes at 1 John 4:2. Compare the notes at Romans 10:10.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 The Father sent the Son, he willed his coming into this world. The apostle attests this. And whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. This confession includes faith in the heart as the foundation; makes acknowledgment with the mouth to the glory of God and Christ, and profession in the life and conduct, against the flatteries and frowns of the world. There must be a day of universal judgment…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Those who believe in Christ live in God, and God lives in them. The Father and the Son share this close fellowship (John 10:38; 14:10; 17:21). Christians receive this same gift of fellowship with God, which is a special privilege (see John 14:20; 15:5; 17:21–24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. shall confess--once for all: so the Greek aorist means. that Jesus is the Son of God--and therefore "the Saviour of the world" (1Jo 4:14).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 4:15

• Commandments
• Confession
• God Continued...
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of God
• Benevolence
• Fear
• Love
• Perfect
• Dwell

Commentaries on 1 John 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings