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Read the Bible

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

1 John 4:20

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!

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

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?
Christian Standard Bible®
If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom 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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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 Living Translation
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?
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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?
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.

Contextual Overview

17 Herein, hath love with us, been made perfect, - in order that, boldness, we might have in the day of judging, - in that, just as, He, is, we also, are, in this world. 18 Fear, existeth not, in love, but, perfect love, casteth fear, outside; because, fear, hath correction: he that feareth, hath not been made perfect, in love. 19 We, love, because, he, first loved us: - 20 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! 21 And, this commandment, have we from him, - that, he who loveth God, love, his brother also.

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
And she went on to hear his brother, Abel, - and Abel became a feeder of sheep, whereas Cain, was a tiller of the round.
Genesis 4:4
Abel, also, even, he, brought in of the firstlings of his sheep, and of their fat, and Yahweh approved of Abel and of his present;
Genesis 4:5
but of Cain and his present, he approved not, - and it angered Cain greatly, and his countenance fell.
Genesis 4:9
Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I?
Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
Genesis 4:11
Now therefore, accursed, art thou, - from the ground which hath opened her mouth, to receive the shed-blood of thy brother at thy hand.
Genesis 4:12
Though thou till the ground, it shall not go on to give its vigour to thee. A wanderer and a fugitive, shalt thou be in the earth.
Genesis 4:21
and, the name of his brother, was Jubal, - he, was father of everyone handling lyre and flute,
Genesis 25:27
And when the youths grew up, it came to pass that Esau was a man skilled in game a man of the field, - but, Jacob, was a ready man, dwelling in tents.
John 8:44
Ye, are, of your father - the adversary, and, the covetings of your father, ye choose to be doing. He, was, a murderer, from the beginning, and, in the truth, he stood not; because truth is not in him: Whensoever he speaketh falsehood, of his own, he speaketh; because, false, he is, and, the father of it.

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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