1 John 4:21

1 John 4:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
• New International Version (NIV)And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Context of 1 John 4:21

19We love because he has first loved us. 20If any one say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he that loves God love also his brother.

1 John 4:21 word by word

καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔχομεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• lovesἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80

Cross-references for 1 John 4:21

• 1 John 4:11Beloved, if God has so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
• 1 John 3:11For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
• Leviticus 19:18Thou shalt not avenge thyself, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am Jehovah.
• Matthew 22:37And he said to him, Thou shalt love [the] Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy understanding.
• Mark 12:29And Jesus answered him, [The] first commandment of all [is], Hear, Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord;
• Luke 10:37And he said, He that shewed him mercy. And Jesus said to him, Go, and do thou likewise.
• John 13:34A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
• John 15:12This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
• Romans 12:9Let love be unfeigned; abhorring evil; cleaving to good:
• Romans 13:9For, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not lust; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any force, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9Now concerning brotherly love ye have no need that we should write to you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
• 1 Peter 3:8Finally, [be] all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded;
• 1 Peter 4:8but before all things having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins;

Commentaries on 1 John 4:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21This commandment have we - We should love one another, and love our neighbor as ourselves. The love of God and the love of man can never be separated; he who loves God will love his brother; he who loves his brother gives this proof that he loves God, because he loves with a measure of that love which, in its infinitude, dwells in God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And this commandment have we from him - That is, the command to love a brother is as obligatory as that to love God. If one is obeyed, the other ought to be also; if a man feels that one is binding on him, he should feel that the other is also; and he can never have evidence that he is a true Christian, unless he manifests love to his brethren as well as love to God. See the notes at James 2:10. That he who loveth God love his brother also - See the notes…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. 2121. Besides the argument (1Jo 4:20) from the common feeling of men, he here adds a stronger one from God's express commandment (Mt 22:39). He who loves, will do what the object of his love wishes. he who loveth God--he who wishes to be regarded by God as loving Him.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 4:21

• Commandments
• Love
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Benevolence
• Fear
• Love
• Perfect
• Also
• John, the Epistles of

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