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1 John 4:19

New Testament Epistle (General) ASV (1901)

What does 1 John 4:19 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “We love, because he first loved us.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

We love, because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 John 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
16And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.
17Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.
18There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19We love, 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, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
21And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“We love him, because he first loved us.] Lest love to God, and so to one another, should be thought to be of ourselves, and too much be ascribed unto it, the apostle observes, that God's love to us is prior to our love to him; his love is from everlasting, as well as to everlasting; for he loves his people as he does his Son, and he loved him before the foundation of the world; his choosing them in Christ as early, and blessing them then with all spiritual blessings, the covenant of grace made with Christ from all eternity, the gift of grace to them in him before the world began, and the promise of eternal life to them so soon, show the antiquity and priority of his love: his love shown in…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“him--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. Translate, We (emphatical: WE on our part) love (in general: love alike Him, and the brethren, and our fellow men), because He (emphatical: answering to "we"; because it was He who) first loved us in sending His Son (Greek aorist of a definite act at a point of time). He was the first to love us: this thought ought to create in us love casting out fear (Jo1 4:18).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“We love him, because he first loved us - This passage is susceptible of two explanations; either. (1)That the fact that he first loved us is the “ground” or “reason” why we love him, or. (2)That as a matter of fact we have been brought to love him in consequence of the love which he has manifested toward us, though the real ground of our love may be the excellency of his own character. If the former be the meaning, and if that were the only ground of love, then it would be mere selfishness, (compare Matthew 5:46-47); and it cannot be believed that John meant to teach that that is the “only” reason of our love to God. It is true, indeed, that that is a proper ground of love, or that we are…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“We love him, because he first loved us - This is the sum of all religion, the genuine model of Christianity. None can say more: why should any one say less, or less intelligibly? 1 John 4:20”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:19 God loved us first, while we were sinners, not only after we gave sin up (Rom 8:5-11). God started the process; when he loved us he enabled us to respond to him in love and to extend that love to others.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Jo1 4:10; Luk 7:47; Joh 3:16, Joh 15:16; Co2 5:14, Co2 5:15; Gal 5:22; Eph 2:3-5; Tit 3:3-5 1 John 4:20”
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Related study paths

Read 1 John 4 in contextBrowse Greek word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification