Meaning, commentary and cross references
1 John 4:7
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
NIV · New International Version
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
WEB · World English Bible
Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
What does 1 John 4:7 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on 1 John 4:7
Beloved, let its love one another,.... The apostle having finished what he proposed to say concerning the trying of spirits, returns to his former exhortation to brotherly love, and which comes with fresh force and strength; for since worldly men follow, hear, embrace, and cleave to the false teachers; such as are of God, and on the side of truth, should love one another, and their faithful ministers, and stand fast in one spirit by the truths of the Gospel, in opposition to every error: for love is of God: to love one another is the command of God, it is his revealed will, and is well pleasing in his sight; it comes from him, is a gift of his grace, and a fruit of his Spirit, and which he…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on 1 John 4:7–13
As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let us love one another, Jo1 4:7. The apostle would unite them in his love, that he might unite them in love to each other: "Beloved, I beseech you, by the love I bear to you, that you put on unfeigned mutual love." This exhortation is pressed and urged with variety of argument: as, I. From the high and heavenly descent of love: For love is of God.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on 1 John 4:7–10
7. Dilecti, diligamus nos mutuo, quia dilectio ex Deo est; et omnis qui diligit ex Deo genitus est, et cognoscit Deum. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 8. Qui non diligit, non novit Deum; quia Deus dilectio est. 9.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: 1 John 4:4–10 (WEB)
4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. 6We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 7Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. 9By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born Son into the world that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Cross references
- 1 John 4:20–5:1
If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
- 1 John 4:8
He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.
- 1 Peter 1:22
Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,
- 1 John 2:10
He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9–10
But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
- 2 Timothy 1:7
For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
- 1 John 4:12
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.