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1 John 4:8
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
1 John 4:8, King James Version (KJV)
“He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.”
World English Bible (WEB)
1 John 4 (KJV)
- 1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
- 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
- 3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
- 4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
- 5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
- 6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
- 7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
- 8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
- 9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
- 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
- 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
- 12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
- 13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
- 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
- 15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
- 16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
- 17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
- 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
- 19We love him, because he first loved us.
- 20If 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?
- 21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
Related verses
Passages that readers often connect with 1 John 4:8, in the King James Version.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Psalm 86:15
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Psalm 86:5
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Ephesians 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
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1769 standardized text (eBible.org eng-kjv). Public domain outside the United Kingdom. Text courtesy of the Crosswire Bible Society and eBible.org. World English Bible Protestant Edition (eBible engwebp, 2026-09-15 snapshot). Public domain. World English Bible is a trademark of eBible.org. Text unmodified; footnotes and formatting omitted. Related verses: OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.