Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 JOHN 4:7KJV
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1 John 4:7 (KJV)

What does 1 John 4:7 mean?

1 John 4:7 urges believers to love one another, explaining that love comes from God and that anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The verse links genuine love for others with a real relationship with God, showing that love is a sign of being connected to Him.

The apostle John is writing to a community of Christians, encouraging them to live out their faith by loving each other. In the context of this letter, John is addressing confusion and division caused by false teachers, reminding his readers that true knowledge of God shows itself in love. The verse sets the tone for a larger section about the nature of God’s love and how it should shape the way believers treat each other.

The Greek behind 1 John 4:7

  • "Beloved" (ἀγαπητοί, agapētoi): This word is a warm address, showing John’s affection for his readers and inviting them into a close, family-like relationship.
  • "Love" (ἀγαπάω, agapaō and ἀγάπη, agapē): Both the verb and noun forms are used here, describing a self-giving, active love that seeks the good of others, not just a feeling or affection.
  • "Born" (γεγέννηται, gegennētai): This word means to be begotten or born, emphasizing that loving others is a sign of having received new life from God.
  • "Knoweth" (γινώσκει, ginōskei): This word means to know personally or experientially, not just intellectually. John is saying that real love shows a real, lived knowledge of God.

Why 1 John 4:7 matters

  • 1 John 4:7 makes clear that love is not just a command but a natural result of being connected to God, clearing up the idea that love is optional or secondary in Christian life.
  • The verse highlights that love is a marker of genuine faith, not just correct beliefs or religious activity.
  • This verse sets up the following verses, where John will explain even more deeply that God Himself is love, making love the central evidence of knowing Him.

Where else these words appear

“Beloved” Greek G27 · used in 61 verses

  • Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  • 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
  • James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

“born” Greek G1080 · used in 65 verses

  • Matthew 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
  • Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
  • Acts 7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

“another” Greek G240 · used in 94 verses

  • Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
  • Acts 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
  • Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

“love” Greek G26 · used in 106 verses

  • Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
  • 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.
  • 1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.