God Is Love

(A)Beloved, let’s (B)love one another; for love is from God, and (C)everyone who loves has been (D)born of God and (E)knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because (F)God is love. By this the love of God was revealed [a](G)in us, that (H)God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, (I)not that we loved God, but that (J)He loved us and sent His Son to be (K)the [b]propitiation for our sins. 11 (L)Beloved, if God so loved us, (M)we also ought to love one another. 12 (N)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His (O)love is perfected in us. 13 (P)By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and (Q)testify that the Father has (R)sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 (S)Whoever confesses that (T)Jesus is the Son of God, God (U)remains in him, and he in God. 16 (V)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [c](W)for us. (X)God is love, and the one who (Y)remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 By this, (Z)love is perfected with us, so that we may have (AA)confidence in (AB)the day of judgment; because (AC)as He is, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but (AD)perfect love drives out fear, because fear [d]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not (AE)perfected in love. 19 (AF)We love, because He first loved us. 20 (AG)If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he (AH)hates his brother or sister, he is a (AI)liar; for (AJ)the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, (AK)cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And (AL)this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God (AM)must also love his brother and sister.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 4:9 Or among us; or in our case
  2. 1 John 4:10 I.e., means of reconciliation with God by atoning for sins; or sin-offering
  3. 1 John 4:16 Lit in
  4. 1 John 4:18 Lit has

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