1 John 4:20New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— 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.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— 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?
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— 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.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— 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.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— 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?
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— 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?
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— 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!
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— 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?
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— 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?
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— 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?
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— 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?
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— If a man says, 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?
John Etheridge Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1849)
— 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?
James Murdock Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1852)
— 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? |
If
1437 {1437} Primeἐάνean{eh-an'}
From G1487 and G0302; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty.
a man
5100 {5100} Primeτὶςtis{tis}
An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.
say,
2036 {2036} Primeἔπωepo{ep'-o}
A primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from G2046, G4483 and G5346); to speak or say (by word or writting).
z5632 <5632> Grammar
Tense - Second Aorist (See G5780) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Subjunctive (See G5792) Count - 449
y3754 [3754] Standardὅτιhoti{hot'-ee}
Neuter of G3748 as conjugation; demonstrative that (sometimes redundant); causatively because.
I love
25 {0025} Primeἀγαπάωagapao{ag-ap-ah'-o}
Perhaps from ἄγαν [[agan]] ( much; or compare [ H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense).
z5719 <5719> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Indicative (See G5791) Count - 3019
God,
2316 {2316} Primeθεόςtheos{theh'-os}
Of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively a magistrate; by Hebraism very.
and
2532 {2532} Primeκαίkai{kahee}
Apparently a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so, then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words.
hateth
3404 {3404} Primeμισέωmiseo{mis-eh'-o}
From a primary word μῖσος [[misos]] ( hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by extension to love less.
z5725 <5725> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Subjunctive (See G5792) Count - 352
his
y846 [0846] Standardαὐτόςautos{ow-tos'}
From the particle αὖ [[au]] (perhaps akin to the base of G0109 through the idea of a baffling wind; backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the compound of G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons.
x848 (0848) Complementαὑτοῦhautou{how-too'}
Contraction for G1438; self (in some oblique case or reflexive relation).
brother,
80 {0080} Primeἀδελφόςadelphos{ad-el-fos'}
From G0001 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς [[delphus]] (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like [ H0001]).
he is
2076 {2076} Primeἐστίesti{es-tee'}
Third person singular present indicative of G1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are.
z5748 <5748> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - No Voice Stated (See G5799) Mood - Indicative (See G5791) Count - 1612
a liar:
5583 {5583} Primeψεύστηςpseustes{psyoos-tace'}
From G5574; a falsifier.
for
1063 {1063} Primeγάρgar{gar}
A primary particle; properly assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles).
he that loveth
25 {0025} Primeἀγαπάωagapao{ag-ap-ah'-o}
Perhaps from ἄγαν [[agan]] ( much; or compare [ H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense).
z5723 <5723> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Participle (See G5796) Count - 2549
not
3361 {3361} Primeμήme{may}
A primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverbially) not, (conjugationally) lest; also (as interrogitive implying a negative answer [whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one]); whether.
his
y846 [0846] Standardαὐτόςautos{ow-tos'}
From the particle αὖ [[au]] (perhaps akin to the base of G0109 through the idea of a baffling wind; backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the compound of G1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons.
x848 (0848) Complementαὑτοῦhautou{how-too'}
Contraction for G1438; self (in some oblique case or reflexive relation).
brother
80 {0080} Primeἀδελφόςadelphos{ad-el-fos'}
From G0001 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς [[delphus]] (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like [ H0001]).
whom
3739 {3739} Primeὅςhos{hos}
Probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article G3588); the relative (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that.
he hath seen,
3708 {3708} Primeὁράωhorao{hor-ah'-o}
Properly to stare at (compare G3700), that is, (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension to attend to; by Hebraism to experience; passively to appear.
z5758 <5758> Grammar
Tense - Perfect (See G5778) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Indicative (See G5791) Count - 516
how
4459 {4459} Primeπῶςpos{poce}
Adverb from the base of G4226; an interrogitive particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!.
can
1410 {1410} Primeδύναμαιdunamai{doo'-nam-ahee}
Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.
z5736 <5736> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Middle or Passive Deponent (See G5790) Mood - Indicative (See G5791) Count - 618
he love
25 {0025} Primeἀγαπάωagapao{ag-ap-ah'-o}
Perhaps from ἄγαν [[agan]] ( much; or compare [ H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense).
z5721 <5721> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Infinitive (See G5795) Count - 647
God
2316 {2316} Primeθεόςtheos{theh'-os}
Of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively a magistrate; by Hebraism very.
whom
3739 {3739} Primeὅςhos{hos}
Probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article G3588); the relative (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that.
he hath
y3708 [3708] Standardὁράωhorao{hor-ah'-o}
Properly to stare at (compare G3700), that is, (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension to attend to; by Hebraism to experience; passively to appear.
z0 <0000> Grammar
The original word in the Greek or Hebrew is translated by more than one word in the English. The English translation is separated by one or more other words from the original.
not
3756 {3756} Primeοὐou{oo}
A primary word; the absolutely negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not.
seen?
3708 {3708} Primeὁράωhorao{hor-ah'-o}
Properly to stare at (compare G3700), that is, (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension to attend to; by Hebraism to experience; passively to appear.
z5758 <5758> Grammar
Tense - Perfect (See G5778) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Indicative (See G5791) Count - 516 |
1 John 4:20
_ _ loveth not ... brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen — It is easier for us, influenced as we are here by sense, to direct love towards one within the range of our senses than towards One unseen, appreciable only by faith. “Nature is prior to grace; and we by nature love things seen, before we love things unseen” [Estius]. The eyes are our leaders in love. “Seeing is an incentive to love” [Oecumenius]. If we do not love the brethren, the visible representatives of God, how can we love God, the invisible One, whose children they are? The true ideal of man, lost in Adam, is realized in Christ, in whom God is revealed as He is, and man as he ought to be. Thus, by faith in Christ, we learn to love both the true God, and the true man, and so to love the brethren as bearing His image.
_ _ hath seen — and continually sees. |
1 John 4:20
Whom he hath seen — Who is daily presented to his senses, to raise his esteem, and move his kindness or compassion toward him. |
1 John 4:20
(15) If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: (16) for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
(15) As he showed that the love of our neighbour cannot be separate from the love with which God loves us because this last gives rise to the other: so he denies that the other kind of love with which we love God, can be separate from the love of our neighbour: of which it follows, that they who say they worship God, and yet do not regard their neighbours lie shamelessly.
(16) The first reason taken from comparison: why we cannot hate our neighbour and love God, that is, because he that cannot love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he cannot see? |
- a man:
1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
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- not:
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.
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