1 John 4:16

1 John 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
• New International Version (NIV)And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Context of 1 John 4:16

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. 15Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We 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. 18There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].

1 John 4:16 word by word

καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐγνώκαμεν καὶ πεπιστεύκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχει ὁ θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν. ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν, καὶ ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐν τῷ θεῷ μένει, καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• have knownγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• the loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• toἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• he that dwellethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for 1 John 4:16

• 1 John 4:9By this the love of God was displayed in us, in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind] into the world so that we might live through Him.
• 1 John 3:1See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
• Psalms 18:1“I love You [fervently and devotedly], O Lord, my strength.”
• Psalms 31:19How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, Which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of man!
• Psalms 36:7How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
• Isaiah 64:4For from days of old no one has heard, nor has ear perceived, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and acts in behalf of the one who [gladly] waits for Him.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9but just as it is written [in Scripture], “Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”
• 1 John 4:8The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]
• 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 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16God is love - See on 1 John 4:8; (note). He that dwelleth in love - he who is full of love to God and man is full of God, for God is love; and where such love is, there is God, for he is the fountain and maintainer of it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And we have known and believed … - We all have assurance that God has loved us, and the fullest belief in the great fact of redemption by which he has manifested his love to us. God is love - Notes, 1 John 4:8. It is not uncommon for John to repeat an important truth. He delights to dwell on such a truth as that which is here expressed; and who should not? What truth is there on which the mind can dwell with more pleasure; what is there that is better…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. 7-21John explains where a Christian’s love comes from and how it is shown in daily life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. And we--John and his readers (not as 1Jo 4:14, the apostles only). known and believed--True faith, according to John, is a faith of knowledge and experience: true knowledge is a knowledge of faith [Luecke]. to us--Greek, "in our case" (see on 1Jo 4:9). dwelleth--Greek, "abideth." Compare with this verse, 1Jo 4:7.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 4:16

• Commandments
• Faith
• Fear of God
• God
• God Continued...
• Love
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Assurance
• Benevolence
• Fear
• Love
• Perfect
• Adam in the Old Testament
• Brotherly Kindness; Brotherly Love
• Johannine Theology

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