1 John 4:20 “If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For…”

1 John 4:20

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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

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?

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?

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

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?

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?

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?

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Cross references

“a man”

1 John 3:17 1 John 2:4

1 John 3:17 · BSB

If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

1 John 2:4 · BSB

If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

“not”

1 John 4:12

1 John 4:12 · BSB

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Also

1 John 2:9 1 John 2:11 1 Peter 1:8 1 John 1:6

1 John 2:9 · BSB

If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.

1 John 2:11 · BSB

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 Peter 1:8 · BSB

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

1 John 1:6 · BSB

If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

19We love because He first loved us.

21And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

Read 1 John 4