1 John 4:18

KJV

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

KJV (with Strong's)

There is {G2076} no {G3756} fear {G5401} in {G1722} love {G26}; but {G235} perfect {G5046} love {G26} casteth {G906} out {G1854} fear {G5401}: because {G3754} fear {G5401} hath {G2192} torment {G2851}.{G1161} He that feareth {G5399} is {G5048} not {G3756} made perfect {G5048} in {G1722} love {G26}.

Complete Jewish Bible

There is no fear in love. On the contrary, love that has achieved its goal gets rid of fear, because fear has to do with punishment; the person who keeps fearing has not been brought to maturity in regard to love.

Berean Standard Bible

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

American Standard Version

There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
The Apostle John, in 1 John 4:18, delivers a profound theological truth: genuine divine love is fundamentally incompatible with fear. This verse asserts that the complete and mature expression of God's love actively expels fear, particularly the dread of judgment. It highlights that fear brings torment and that its presence indicates an incomplete understanding or experience of the perfect love offered by God, thereby serving as a cornerstone for Christian assurance and security in one's relationship with the divine.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a powerful culmination of John's discourse on love in [1 John chapter 4](/1_john/4 "1 John 4 - God is Love"). Having established God's nature as love (e.g., [1 John 4:8](/1_john/4-8 "1 John 4:8 - God is Love")), and exhorted believers to love one another as a reflection of God's indwelling presence (e.g., [1 John 4:7](/1_john/4-7 "1 John 4:7 - Love One Another") and [1 John 4:12](/1_john/4-12 "1 John 4:12 - God Dwells in Us Through Love")), John shifts to the assurance that this love provides. The immediate preceding verse, [1 John 4:17](/1_john/4-17 "1 John 4:17 - Confidence on the Day of Judgment"), speaks of confidence on the Day of Judgment, stating that "as he is, so are we in this world." [1 John 4:18](/1_john/4-18 "1 John 4:18 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear") then explains *how* this confidence is achieved: through the expulsion of fear by perfect love, directly addressing the anxiety one might feel regarding divine retribution.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** John is writing to a community of believers, likely in Asia Minor, facing internal theological disputes (e.g., Gnostic tendencies denying Christ's full humanity) and external pressures. In the Roman world, fear of divine displeasure, fate, and the unknown was pervasive. For early Christians, the concept of a final judgment could evoke profound anxiety, especially given the Roman state's persecution of those who did not conform to imperial cults. John's message of love casting out fear would have been revolutionary, offering a radical alternative to a world often governed by fear of gods, authorities, or societal rejection. It provided spiritual security and freedom from the dread of punishment, contrasting sharply with pagan practices aimed at appeasing angry deities.
* **Key Themes:** The central theme is the **transformative power of divine love** over human fear. John emphasizes that God's love, specifically His **agape** love, is not merely an emotion but a self-giving, active principle that radically alters a believer's disposition. This love, fully understood and embraced, leads to **assurance and confidence** before God, particularly concerning the future judgment. The verse also implicitly addresses the **nature of true faith**, suggesting that a faith rooted in fear of punishment is immature, whereas mature faith, perfected in love, experiences profound peace and freedom. This aligns with broader New Testament themes of grace and adoption, where believers are no longer slaves to fear but children of God, as seen in [Romans 8:15](/romans/8-15 "Romans 8:15 - Spirit of Adoption").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Love (Greek, _agápē'_):** From G26, this term refers to God's unconditional, self-sacrificial, and benevolent love. Unlike human emotional love, _agápē_ is a volitional act and a commitment, reflecting the very nature of God Himself. It is the active, divine principle that seeks the highest good of the beloved, regardless of merit.
* **Fear (Greek, _phóbos'_):** From G5401, in this context, "fear" denotes dread, terror, or apprehension of punishment or retribution. It is a paralyzing anxiety concerning judgment, distinct from a reverential awe or respectful reverence for God's majesty. This type of fear brings distress and a lack of peace.
* **Perfect (Greek, _téleios'_):** From G5046, this word signifies completeness, maturity, or being brought to its intended end or purpose. When applied to love, "perfect love" does not imply human sinless perfection, but rather a love that is fully developed, complete in its expression (as God's love is), and fully received and realized in the believer's life.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"There is no fear in love":** This opening clause establishes an absolute incompatibility. Where true, divine love (agape) resides and is active, fear, specifically the dread of punishment, cannot coexist. Love's nature is such that it inherently excludes the presence of this kind of fear.
* **"but perfect love casteth out fear":** This is not merely a passive absence but an active expulsion. "Perfect love" (love that is complete, mature, and fully realized in its divine source and human reception) actively "casts out" (Greek: _bállō_, to throw out, expel) fear. It is a dynamic process where the increasing understanding and experience of God's complete love drives out the anxiety of judgment.
* **"because fear hath torment":** John provides the reason for this expulsion. Fear, in this context, is not a neutral emotion but one that "hath torment" (Greek: _kólasis_, penal infliction, punishment, distressing anxiety). The anticipation or dread of punishment brings distress, anxiety, and a lack of peace, making it antithetical to the liberating nature of God's love.
* **"He that feareth is not made perfect in love":** This concluding statement clarifies that the presence of fear (of judgment) indicates an incomplete or immature understanding and experience of God's love. If one truly grasps the depth and completeness of God's unconditional love and grace, the dread of punishment dissipates, signifying a love that has not yet reached its full, maturing work within the individual.

#### Literary Devices
John masterfully employs **Antithesis** throughout this verse, starkly contrasting "love" and "fear." This opposition highlights their mutually exclusive nature, emphasizing that one cannot fully embrace God's love while simultaneously being dominated by the dread of His judgment. The phrase "fear hath torment" uses **Personification**, attributing the active capacity to inflict "torment" to an abstract concept, fear, thereby underscoring its oppressive and distressing nature. Furthermore, the verse demonstrates a form of **Thematic Parallelism** or **Chiasm** (A-B-B'-A'): "no fear in love" (A) is contrasted with "perfect love casteth out fear" (B), followed by "fear hath torment" (B'), leading back to "he that feareth is not made perfect in love" (A'). This structure reinforces the central message of love's triumph over fear and the implications of fear's lingering presence.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The profound truth of [1 John 4:18](/1_john/4-18 "1 John 4:18 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear") resonates deeply with the broader biblical narrative of God's redemptive work. It underscores that the Christian life is not to be lived under a spirit of bondage to fear, but rather in the freedom and assurance that comes from understanding God's character as love. This love, fully revealed in Christ, transforms our relationship with God from one of dread to one of intimate sonship and daughtership. The "torment" associated with fear points to the anxiety and insecurity that arise from an incomplete grasp of God's grace and forgiveness, which are fully provided in Christ. Embracing perfect love allows believers to stand confidently before God, not based on their own merit, but on the finished work of Christ and the indwelling Spirit.

* [Romans 8:15](/romans/8-15 "Romans 8:15 - Spirit of Adoption")
* [2 Timothy 1:7](/2_timothy/1-7 "2 Timothy 1:7 - Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-Control")
* [Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14-15 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Deliverance from Fear of Death")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[1 John 4:18](/1_john/4-18 "1 John 4:18 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear") offers liberating truth for every believer. It challenges us to honestly assess the nature of our relationship with God: Is it characterized by a confident, loving embrace, or by a lingering dread of His judgment or disapproval? When we truly comprehend the boundless, self-giving love of God demonstrated in Christ, the anxieties that plague us—whether fear of failure, rejection, or the future—begin to dissipate. This verse calls us to move beyond a performance-based faith, where we strive to earn God's favor, into a grace-based relationship, where we rest in His already-given love. As we intentionally meditate on God's perfect love and allow it to permeate every aspect of our being, it progressively displaces the torment of fear, enabling us to live with greater peace, boldness, and joy, reflecting His character to a fearful world.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What specific fears in your life might indicate an area where God's perfect love has not yet fully permeated or been fully embraced?**
* **How does understanding God's "perfect love" as complete and mature, rather than humanly flawless, change your perception of His acceptance of you?**
* **In what practical ways can you intentionally cultivate a deeper understanding and experience of God's love to cast out fear in your daily life?**

### FAQ
**Does "no fear in love" mean Christians should never feel any fear?**

Answer: No, the "fear" referenced in [1 John 4:18](/1_john/4-18 "1 John 4:18 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear") specifically refers to the dread of punishment, judgment, or divine retribution ("fear hath torment"). It does not negate a healthy, reverential awe or respect for God's majesty and power, sometimes referred to as the "fear of the Lord" (e.g., [Proverbs 9:10](/proverbs/9-10 "Proverbs 9:10 - The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom")). Nor does it mean believers are immune to natural human fears like fear of danger or loss. Rather, it assures us that in a mature relationship with God, characterized by His perfect love, the paralyzing anxiety about our standing with Him is completely removed.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[1 John 4:18](/1_john/4-18 "1 John 4:18 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear") finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of God's "perfect love" (Greek: _agápē_), for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God So Loved the World")). Through His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus fully absorbed the punishment for humanity's sin, thereby disarming the very "torment" that fear brings. His resurrection conquered death and the power of the devil, who held humanity in "bondage through fear of death" ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14-15 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Deliverance from Fear of Death")). When we place our faith in Christ, we are reconciled to God, adopted into His family, and receive the "Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" ([Romans 8:15](/romans/8-15 "Romans 8:15 - Spirit of Adoption")), replacing a spirit of bondage to fear with the assurance of sonship. Thus, the perfect love that casts out fear is not an abstract concept but a Person, Jesus Christ, whose finished work makes it possible for us to live in confident, unhindered communion with God.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Romans 8:15

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Luke 1:74

That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

Luke 1:75

In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

Hebrews 12:28

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

James 2:19

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.