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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

1 John 4:16

We know

(εγνωκαμεν). Perfect active indicative, "we have come to know and still know" as in John 6:9, only there order is changed (πεπιστευκαμεν coming before εγνωκαμεν). Confession (ομολογεω) follows experimental knowledge (γινωσκω) and confident trust (πιστευω). Believers are the sphere (εν ημιν, in our case) in which the love of God operates (Westcott). See John 13:35 for "having love."God is love

(ο θεος αγαπη εστιν). Repeated from verse 1 John 4:8. So he gathers up the whole argument that one who is abiding in love is abiding in God and shows that God is abiding in him. Thoroughly Johannine style.

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See also 1 John 4:16 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 16. _GOD IS LOVE_] See note on 1 John 4:8. _He that dwelleth in love_-he who is full of love to God and man is full of God, for God is love; and where such love is, there is God, for he is the f...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED ... - We all have assurance that God has loved us, and the fullest belief in the great fact of redemption by which he has manifested his love to us. GOD IS LOVE - Notes,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    V. HEREBY WE KNOW Chapter S 3:19-5:13 _ 1. Hereby we know that we are of the truth (1 John 3:19)_ 2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God (1 John 4:1) 3. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and of error...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    John returns to the theme of 1 John 3:14 ff., be cause if the Church is the home of truth, still more is it the home of love. The evidence for our Divine sonship is that the love manifested by God in...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Beloved, let us love one another, because love has its source in God, and everyone who loves has God as the source of his birth and knows God. He who does not love has not come to know God. In this Go...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE PERILS OF THE SURGING LIFE OF THE SPIRIT (1 John 3:24 B- 1 John 4:1) _ 4:1 This is how we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he gave to us. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but t...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BELIEVED. have believed. App-150. TO. in. App-104. Compare 1 John 4:9....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Love is the Mark of the Children of the God who is Love 7. _Beloved, let us love one another_ See on 1 John 3:2. The transition seems abrupt, as if the Apostle had summarily dismissed an unwelcome sub...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And we have known and believed_ Literally, _And we have_ COME TO KNOW AND HAVE _believed_. This is the natural order; progressive knowledge leads up to faith. But sometimes faith precedes knowledge ...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    1 John 2:29 to 1 John 5:12. God is Love There seems to be no serious break in the Epistle from this point onwards until we reach the concluding verses which form a sort of summary (1 John 5:13-21). T...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1 John 2:29 to 1 John 5:12. GOD IS LOVE There seems to be no serious break in the Epistle from this point onwards until we reach the concluding verses which form a sort of summary (1 John 5:13-21). Th...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    7–21. LOVE IS THE MARK OF THE CHILDREN OF THE GOD WHO IS LOVE...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    16. After ἐν αὐτῷ we should perhaps insert μένει with [733][734][735][736] and Thebaic against [737] and Vulgate. [733] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΓΝΏΚΑΜΕΝ _perf. ind. act. от_ ΓΙΝΏΣΚΩ (G1097) знать. _Perf._ обозначает, что мы пришли к знанию и по-прежнему знаем (Marshall), ΠΕΠΙΣΤΕΎΚΑΜΕΝ _perf. ind. act. от_ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΩ (G4100) верить. _Perf._ озн...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2457 THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF A CHRISTIAN 1 John 4:16. _We have known and believed the love that God hath to us_. NEVER was there a truth so deep, so comprehensive, so endearing, conve...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER XIII _FAITHTHE GROUND OF LOVE_ 1 John 4:13-16 A. _The Text_ Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (14) And we have beheld and bear witne...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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. AND WE - John and his readers (not as 1 John 4:14, the apost...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 16.--AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED. Whether we love God or not is a matter of knowledge. That God loved us we believed when we heard the message of love his inspired apostles brought to us. An...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    3 The spirit of antichrist is the spirit of the world. It does not want the Christ of the Scriptures, but prefers some substitute more suited to its taste. This spirit has come to pervade, not only th...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:16 to (d-13) _ En_ , 'of which we are the objects;' but it is more than 'towards.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD IN LOVE 1. Try the spirits] RV 'Prove the spirits.' The verb is used of testing metals. 2, 3. See on 2 John 1:7....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW CAN I BE SURE? 1 JOHN _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 4 TEST THE *SPIRITS TO SEE IF THEY ARE TRUE (1 JOHN 4:1-6) V1 My friends, do not believe every *spirit. First, make sure where they are from. Se...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE PERFECT LOVE THE SUREST TEST (1 John 4:7). (_a_) _Fraternal love the necessary product of the true knowledge of God, because God is love_ (1 John 4:7). (_b_) _The grand recent historical exhibi...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἡμεῖς, here “you and I,” we believers. Observe the three stages: (1) “get to know” (γινώσκειν), (2) “believe” (πιστεύειν), (3) “confess” (ὁμολογεῖν). ἐν ἡμῖν, see note on 1 John 4:9. Another incentiv...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The Blessedness of Love. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God, and every one that loveth of God hath been begotten and is getting to know God. He that loveth not did not get to kn...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE TEST OF OUR LOVE 1 John 4:12 If we are willing to be channels through which God's love flows to others, there need be no limit to the fullness of that holy current. In humility, selflessness, an...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Two closely related perils threaten our fellowship with God as love, false prophets and the spirit which actuates them. Teaching is to be tested by the indwelling Spirit. All who refuse to confess tha...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    LOVE, A MEANS OF SEEING GOD No man has ever seen God in the fullness of His nature (John 1:18). However, Jesus came to declare the nature of God to man. While man has not seen God in all His glory, wh...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. (12) God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (12) A fourth reason: God is the fountain and wellspring o...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (9) In this was manifested the...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _LOVE’S CROWN_ ‘God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.’ 1 John 4:16 It is a distinction between Christians and all others, that whereas the heathen and unbelievi...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    16_And we have known and believed _It is the same as though he had said, “We have known by believing;” for such knowledge is not attained but by faith. But we hence learn how different, is an uncertai...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Now, to make use of this last proof, caution was required, for many false prophets would assume, and even in the time of the apostle had already assumed, the semblance of having received communication...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED,.... Or have a full assurance and knowledge of, and faith in, THE LOVE THAT GOD HATH TO US; shown as in many instances, so more especially in sending his Son to be the...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 16. _And we have known and believed_] That is, we know by...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Whosoever shall_ From a principle of loving faith, openly _confess_ In the face of all opposition and danger, maintaining this profession with resolution and zeal, and acting in conformity to it; _th...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    Loving God and good men unites the soul to him in a most intimate, endearing, elevated, ennobling, and blissful union; the joy of which, even in its foretaste on earth, is often unspeakable and full o...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Perfection in brotherly love:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED THE LOVE THAT GOD HATH TO US. THE LOVE WHICH GOD SHOWED TO US IN CHRIST IS THE ETERNAL TYPE AND PATTERN OF PERFECT LOVE. For that reason St. John asks us to become imita...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Dwelling in God and in His love:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    But there must be guards as to the operation of the Spirit of God, that is, the child of God must be guarded against all that would imitate the operation of the Spirit. Satan is extremely cunning, and...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    14-21 The Father sent the Son, he willed his coming into this world. The apostle attests this. And whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. This confe...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Inasmuch as the transformative efficacy of God's love upon us depends upon our certain apprehension of it, he doubles the expression of that certainty: WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED, i.e. we are assured...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV And if "God be love," piety also is love: "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear."[144] Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book V It is not,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 John 4:16 And G2532 we G2249 known G1097 (G5758) and G2532 believed G4100 (G5758) love G26 that...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And we know and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.' John wants there to be no doubt about the love that God has f...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 John 4:13-16. Remembering that this whole section has to do with faith in Jesus as the root of brotherly love, we need not be surprised that the apostle goes back to the introductory words of it. Th...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    The ruling idea of the third part is Faith in the Spirit's testimony concerning the Son of God incarnate. The close of chap. 3 introduces the theme by the first explicit mention of faith and the Spiri...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 John 4:8 , 1 JOHN 4:16 I. God is love. The text takes us up, as it were, above the veil; we are caught up through the door of this vision to the sanctuary of God's throne. We are suffered to know so...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 4:1. _Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirit whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ This is an unction of which there is great need i...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 4:1. _Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ If John had need to say that in the early mornin...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 4:1. _Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ It was so in John's day: it is so in these days....

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 4:9. _In 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._ There is love in our creation; there is lov...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 4:1. _Beloved, believe not every spirit,_ A simpleton believes every word that he hears, but «the wise man's eyes are in his head,» so he examines what he sees and hears, and does not blindly...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Christians warned of false doctrines concerning Christ's person and work. Tests of the true. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Holy Spirit, anti-christ, John. CONCLUSION: God's people must be ever c...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 John 4:1. _Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God._ Whether those teachers believe that Christ is come in the flesh, which to the present hour the unbelieving jews den...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    AND WE OURSELVES KNOW. The apostles saw Christ-on-the-cross! They believe (see note on James 2:19) God's love! John's language points to a knowledge and belief that began in the past and continues up...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 JOHN 4:7 The Assurance of God through the Love of God. John’s teaching in these verses is like the apostle Paul’s “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13:1.1 JOHN—NOTE ON

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 JOHN—NOTE ON 1 JOHN 4:16 WE HAVE COME TO KNOW AND TO BELIEVE. See note on 2:3. ⇐...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    Would someone please check the Psalm number in sentence formatted in blue in the 3rd note of ver. 18. CHAPTER 4 1. _Most dearly beloved_, &c. By the word _spirit_ he means suggestion, inspiration, im...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us._ In these words S. John confirms and inculcates what he has said in the two preceding verses. His meaning is, "We have seen and do testify...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ 1 John 4:15. SON OF GOD.—St. John was jealous of the double truth of the person of Jesus—His Divinity and His humanity. 1 John 4:17. MADE PERFECT.—Or reaches its purpo...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 4:1 - 1 JOHN 5:12 (2) _The source of son-ship. _Possession of the Spirit. 1 JOHN 4:1 Confession of the Incarnation is

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn now in our Bibles to I John chapter 4. As we go back to verse 1 John 4:24 of chapter 3, the later portion, "Hereby we know that He abides in us by the Spirit which He has given us." I kn...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:10;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    The love which God hath. On this use of ecein to have, see on John 16:22. Compare John 8:35. To us [ε ν η μ ι ν]. Rev., in us. Compare God abideth in Him. Dwelleth in love, etc. See John 14:9;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    TESTING THE TRUE AND THE FALSE 1 John 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have in our opening verses some important admonitions, and also some important instructions. 1. IMPORTANT ADMONITIONS. (1) "Believe...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE LOVE OF GOD CHAPTER 1 John 4:7 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have always thought of the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians as the Love Chapter. However, we have in the Word of God another chapter whic...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    And we know and believe — By the same Spirit, the love that God hath to us....

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Old Testament