1 John 4:17

1 John 4:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
• New Living Translation (NLT)And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

Context of 1 John 4:17

15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16And 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. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:17 word by word

ἐν τούτῳ τετελείωται ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως, ὅτι καθὼς ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Hereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• isτελειόωteleioō · to perfectG5048
• ourμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• ·ἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• we may haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• boldnessπαρρησίαparrhēsia · boldnessG3954
• the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• of judgmentκρίσιςkrisis · judgmentG2920
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• heἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• soκαίkai · andG2532
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889

Cross-references for 1 John 4:17

• 1 John 4:12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
• 1 John 2:5But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:
• James 2:22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
• 1 John 2:28And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
• 1 John 3:19This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
• James 2:13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
• Matthew 10:15Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
• Matthew 11:22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
• Matthew 12:36But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
• 2 Peter 2:9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
• 2 Peter 3:7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
• 1 John 3:3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
• Matthew 10:25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
• John 15:20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
• Romans 8:29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
• Hebrews 12:2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Commentaries on 1 John 4:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Herein is our love made perfect - By God dwelling in us, and we in him; having cast out all the carnal mind that was enmity against himself, and filled the whole heart with the spirit of love and purity. Thus the love is made perfect; when it thus fills the heart it has all its degrees; it is all in all; and all in every power, passion, and faculty of the soul. May have boldness in the day of judgment - ̔· Freedom of speech, and liberty of access; seeing…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Herein is our love made perfect - Margin, “love with us.” The margin accords with the Greek - ̓ ̔͂ meth'hēmōnThe meaning is, “the love that is within us, or in us, is made perfect.” The expression is unusual; but the general idea is, that love is rendered complete or entire in the manner in which the apostle specifies. In this way love becomes what it should be, and will prepare us to appear with confidence before the judgment-seat. Compare the notes at…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. 17love has been perfected: The Greek word translated as has been perfected means mature and complete. It does not mean without flaw. This confidence motivates us to mature in our relationship with God, and God's love completes our love. Experiencing and expressing God's love and doing what it requires does not make us acceptable to God. But it guarantees us that we have been accepted, and our fears of the final judgment disappear.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. (Compare 1Jo 3:19-21.) our love--rather as the Greek, "LOVE (in the abstract, the principle of love [Alford]) is made perfect (in its relations) with us." Love dwelling in us advances to its consummation "with us" that is, as it is concerned with us: so Greek. Lu 1:58, "showed mercy upon (literally, 'with') her": 2Jo 2, the truth "shall be with us for ever." boldness--"confidence": the same Greek as 1Jo 3:21, to which this passage is parallel. The…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 4:17

• Boldness
• Fear of God
• God
• Judgment
• Love
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Day of Judgment
• Benevolence
• Fear
• Love
• Perfect
• Boldness
• Herein
• Johannine Theology
• John, the Epistles of
• judge, judgment

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