1 John 4:21

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

And {G2532} this {G5026} commandment {G1785} have we {G2192} from {G575} him {G846}, That {G2443} he who loveth {G25} God {G2316} love {G25} his {G846} brother {G80} also {G2532}.

Yes, this is the command we have from him: whoever loves God must love his brother too.

And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

Commentary

1 John 4:21 concludes a profound section in John's first epistle, emphasizing the inseparable connection between loving God and loving one's fellow believers. This verse serves as a powerful summary and direct command, flowing from the theological truth that God Himself is love.

Context

This verse is the culmination of John's argument throughout 1 John 4, where he repeatedly stresses the importance of love as the defining characteristic of true faith. Having established that God is love (1 John 4:8) and that His love was supremely demonstrated by sending His Son as a propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:9-10), John argues that receiving this divine love necessitates its outflow towards others. The preceding verse, 1 John 4:20, directly challenges the hypocrisy of claiming to love God while hating a brother, making 4:21 the definitive, positive command.

Key Themes

  • The Divine Imperative of Love: The phrase "this commandment have we from him" clearly indicates that loving one another is not an option but a direct mandate from God. It is a fundamental aspect of obedience and genuine discipleship.
  • Inseparable Loves: The verse posits that love for God and love for one's "brother" (fellow human, especially fellow believer) are intrinsically linked. One cannot genuinely possess the former without demonstrating the latter. This echoes Jesus' teaching on the two greatest commandments, which combine love for God and love for neighbor.
  • Love as Evidence: The presence of love for others becomes a tangible sign of one's true relationship with God. It is the practical outworking of an internal transformation wrought by divine love.

Linguistic Insights

The type of love commanded here, consistent with the rest of 1 John, is agape love. This is a selfless, sacrificial, and benevolent love, not merely an emotional affection. It is a volitional love that seeks the well-being of the other, mirroring God's own character. The term "brother" (Greek: adelphos) primarily refers to fellow members of the Christian community, highlighting the importance of unity and mutual care within the body of Christ, though its principles extend to all humanity as an act of Christian charity.

Practical Application

For believers today, 1 John 4:21 serves as a profound challenge and a guiding principle. It calls us to actively examine our relationships and ensure that our professed love for God is genuinely reflected in how we treat those around us. This means cultivating forgiveness, practicing empathy, extending grace, and serving others, especially within the church family. It reminds us that authentic faith is not merely about personal devotion but also about demonstrating God's transformative love in tangible ways, thereby becoming a powerful witness to the world.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 22:37

    Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

  • Matthew 22:39

    And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Leviticus 19:18

    Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.

  • 1 John 3:11

    ¶ For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:9

    ¶ But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

  • John 13:34

    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

  • John 13:35

    By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
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