1 John 4:20 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

²⁰ If a person says, “I love God,” yet [in reality] hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot [possibly] love God, whom he has never seen.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

²⁰ 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?

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

²⁰ If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen.

American Standard Version (1901)

²⁰ 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, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.

Common English Bible

²⁰ Those who say, “I love God” and hate their brothers or sisters are liars. After all, those who don’t love their brothers or sisters whom they have seen can hardly love God whom they have not seen!

Catholic Public Domain Version

²⁰ If anyone says that he loves God, but hates his brother, then he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he does see, in what way can he love God, whom he does not see?

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

²⁰ If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not?

1 John 4:20 Cross References

John 13:35

If you love one another, then everyone will know by [observing] this that you are my disciples.”

1 Peter 1:8

Although you have not seen Jesus, you [still] love Him and believe in Him, and this causes you to have an indescribable, glorious joy.

1 John 1:6

If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.

1 John 1:8

If we claim to have no sinful practices [in our lives], we are self-deceived and are not being truthful about the matter.

1 John 2:11

But the person who hates his brother is in the darkness [of sin] and he lives in [harmony with] that darkness, and he does not know where he is heading, because the darkness [of sin] has blinded his eyes [to his spiritual condition].

1 John 2:4

The person who says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.

1 John 2:9

The person who claims to be living in [harmony with] the light [i.e., by obeying God’s truth], and [yet] hates his brother is still [living] in the darkness [of sin].

1 John 3:17

Now whoever has [a sufficient amount of] life’s possessions and [then] observes one of his [Christian] brothers who does not have enough to get by on, but does not feel sorry for him [i.e., enough to help him out], surely a love for God does not continue to live in that person’s heart.

1 John 4:12

No person has gazed upon God [at any time]; [but] if we love one another, God [continually] lives in our hearts, and His love is made complete within us.