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Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

1 John 4:20

If someone says, "I love God," but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Hatred;   Hypocrisy;   Love;   Malice;   Righteousness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hatred;   Love;   Love-Hatred;   The Topic Concordance - Hate;   Love;   Lying/lies;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hatred;   Love to God;   Love to Man;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hatred;   Lie;   Love;   Neighbour;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Holy, Holiness;   Lie, Lying;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Brotherly Love;   John, the Letters of;   Love;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Brotherly Love;   John, Epistles of;   John, Theology of;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Sin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Alms;   Brotherhood (2);   Commandments;   Example;   Fellowship (2);   God;   Hating, Hatred;   John Epistles of;   Justice (2);   Life and Death;   Love;   Lying ;   Neighbour (2);   Righteous, Righteousness;   Sacrifice (2);   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Sin;   Socialism;   Worldliness (2);   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - John the Baptist;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Brother;   Brotherly Kindness;   How;   John, the Epistles of;   Love;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for February 1;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 28;   Today's Word from Skip Moen - Devotion for May 29;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If we say we love God, but hate others, that makes us liars. You cannot love God, who you have not seen, without loving those who you have seen.
Bible in Basic English
If a man says, I have love for God, and has hate for his brother, his words are false: for how is the man who has no love for his brother whom he has seen, able to have love for God whom he has not seen?
Darby Translation
If any one say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
World English Bible
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?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen?
Weymouth's New Testament
If any one says that he loves God, while he hates his brother man, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother man whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
King James Version (1611)
If a man say, I loue God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyar. For hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene, how can he loue God whom he hath not seene?
Literal Translation
If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one not loving his brother whom he has seen, how is he able to love God whom he has not seen?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf eny man saye: I loue God, & yet hateth his brother, he is a lyar. For he that loueth not his brother whom he seyth, how can he loue God, whom he seyth not?
Mace New Testament (1729)
if a man says he loves God, and yet hates his brother, he is a lyar: for he that does not love his brother, who is before his eyes, how can he love God who is invisible?
THE MESSAGE
If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
Amplified Bible
If anyone says, "I love God," and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
American Standard Version
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
Revised Standard Version
If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yf a man saye I love god and yet hate his brother he is a lyar. For how can he yt loveth not his brother whom he hath sene love god whom he hath not sene?
Update Bible Version
If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, can't love God whom he has not seen.
Webster's Bible Translation
If a man sayeth, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen?
Young's Literal Translation
if any one may say -- `I love God,' and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God -- whom he hath not seen -- how is he able to love?
New Century Version
If people say, "I love God," but hate their brothers or sisters, they are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen.
New English Translation
If anyone says "I love God" and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Berean Standard Bible
If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Contemporary English Version
But if we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don't love the people we can see?
Complete Jewish Bible
If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if a person does not love his brother, whom he has seen, then he cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
English Standard Version
If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Geneva Bible (1587)
If any man say, I loue God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene, loue God whom he hath not seene?
George Lamsa Translation
If a man say, I love God, and yet hates his brother, he is a liar: for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
Christian Standard Bible®
If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen.
Hebrew Names Version
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?
International Standard Version
Whoever says, "I love God," but hates his brother is a liar. The one who does not love the brother whom he has seen cannot love a God whom he has not seen.1 John 2:4;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But if one shall say, I love Aloha, and his brother he hateth, he is a liar. For he who his brother whom he hath seen loveth not, how can he love Aloha himself whom he hath not seen?
Murdock Translation
And if any one shall say, I love God, and yet hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother who is visible, how can he love God who is invisible?
New King James Version
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can [fn] he love God whom he has not seen?
New Life Bible
If a person says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar. If a person does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God Whom he has not seen?
English Revised Version
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
New Revised Standard
Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If one should say, I love God, and should be hating, his brother, false, is he; for, he that doth not love his brother, whom he hath seen, God, whom he hath not seen, he cannot love!
Douay-Rheims Bible
If any man say: I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?
King James Version
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Lexham English Bible
If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar, for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen is not able to love God whom he has not seen.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If a man say, I loue God, & yet hate his brother, he is a lyer: For how can he yt loueth not his brother whom he hath seene, loue God who he hath not seene?
Easy-to-Read Version
If we say we love God but hate any of our brothers or sisters in his family, we are liars. If we don't love someone we have seen, how can we love God? We have never even seen him.
New American Standard Bible
If someone says, "I love God," and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Good News Translation
If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If ony man seith, that `Y loue God, and hatith his brother, he is a liere. For he that loueth not his brothir, which he seeth, hou mai he loue God, whom he seeth not?

Contextual Overview

17 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. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first. 20 If someone says, "I love God," but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a man: 1 John 2:4, 1 John 3:17

not: 1 John 4:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:8 - brethren Genesis 37:4 - hated him Deuteronomy 10:12 - love 1 Kings 3:3 - loved Matthew 5:22 - his brother Matthew 25:40 - Inasmuch Matthew 25:42 - General Luke 3:11 - He that hath two Luke 11:42 - and pass John 1:18 - seen John 5:37 - Ye have John 5:42 - that John 13:35 - General John 14:15 - General Romans 12:10 - kindly 1 Corinthians 13:2 - and have Ephesians 5:2 - walk Hebrews 13:1 - General 1 Peter 1:8 - having 1 Peter 1:22 - unto 1 John 1:6 - If 1 John 2:22 - Who 1 John 3:14 - that loveth 1 John 4:7 - let 1 John 5:1 - and every 2 John 1:5 - that we

Cross-References

Genesis 4:2
Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.
Genesis 4:4
Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift,
Genesis 4:5
but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
Genesis 4:9
Afterward the Lord asked Cain, "Where is your brother? Where is Abel?" "I don't know," Cain responded. "Am I my brother's guardian?"
Genesis 4:10
But the Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!
Genesis 4:11
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother's blood.
Genesis 4:12
No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth."
Genesis 4:21
His brother's name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute.
Genesis 25:27
As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home.
John 8:44
For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother,.... Than which profession nothing can be more contradictory, not black and white, or hot and cold in the same degree:

he is a liar; it is not truth he speaks, it is a contradiction, and a thing impossible:

for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen; his person, which might have drawn out his affection to him; and something valuable and worthy in him, which might have commanded respect; or his wants and distresses, which should have moved his pity and compassion:

how can he love God whom he hath not seen? it cannot be thought he should; the thing is not reasonable to suppose; it is not possible he should; :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother - His Christian brother; or, in a larger sense, any man. The sense is, that no man, whatever may be his professions and pretensions, can have any true love to God, unless he loves his brethren.

He is a liar - Compare the notes at 1 John 1:6. It is not necessary, in order to a proper interpretation of this passage, to suppose that he “intentionally” deceives. The sense is, that this must be a false profession.

For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen ... - It is more reasonable to expect that we should love one whom we have seen and known personally, than that we should love one whom we have not seen. The apostle is arguing from human nature as it is, and everyone feels that we are more likely to love one with whom we are familiar than one who is a stranger. If a professed Christian, therefore, does not love one who bears the divine image, whom he sees and knows, how can he love that God whose image he bears, whom he has not seen? Compare the notes at 1 John 3:17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother — This, as well as many other parts of this epistle, seems levelled against the Jews, who pretended much love to God while they hated the Gentiles; and even some of them who were brought into the Christian Church brought this leaven with them. It required a miracle to redeem St. Peter's mind from the influence of this principle. See Acts 10:0.

Whom he hath seen — We may have our love excited towards our brother, 1. By a consideration of his excellences or amiable qualities. 2. By a view of his miseries and distresses. The first will excite a love of complacency and delight; the second, a love of compassion and pity.

Whom he hath not seen? — If he love not his brother, it is a proof that the love of God is not in him; and if he have not the love of God, he cannot love God, for God can be loved only through the influence of his own love. See note on 1 John 4:19. The man who hates his fellow does not love God. He who does not love God has not the love of God in him, and he who has not the love of God in him can neither love God nor man.


 
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