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1 John 4:20

1 John 4:20
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?

My Notes

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Baptist theologian, 1697–1771

Gill's Exposition

And this commandment have we from him,.... Either "from God", as the Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read; and that to love the brethren is a commandment of God, is clear from Jo1 3:23;…

Presbyterian pastor, 1798–1870

Barnes' Notes

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…

Methodist theologian, 1762–1832

Adam Clarke

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…

Nonconformist minister, 1662–1714

Matthew Henry

1 John 4:17-21

The apostle, having thus excited and enforced sacred love from the great pattern and motive of it, the love that is and dwells in God himself, proceeds to recommend it further by other considerations;…

Academic commentary, 1882–1921

Cambridge Bible

If a man say We return to the form of statement which was so common at the beginning of the Epistle (1Jn 1:6; 1Jn 1:8; 1Jn 1:10). The case here contemplated is one form of the man that feareth not.…

Cross References

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