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

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Study note

Setting — The apostle John addresses his readers to test the validity of their verbal claims against their observable conduct toward other believers. He places this warning between the statement that God's prior love enables human love and the restatement of the command to love one another.

The words — ἐὰν (ean) = if and εἴπῃ (eipē) = says. These terms introduce a conditional scenario that exposes a direct contradiction between spoken confession and actual behavior.

The thread — The link between claimed spiritual standing and treatment of others runs through 1 John 2:9, 1 John 3:17, and 1 John 4:12. Each passage ties visible care for people to the reality of knowing God.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to validate their claims about God through their measurable treatment of fellow believers. It demands the abandonment of abstract devotion in favor of verifiable action.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

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?

Cross-references

1 John 3:17 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 2:9 If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.
1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
1 John 2:4 If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 2:11 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 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 If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.