1 John 4 · Verse 12

1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:12, King James Version

1 John 4:12 in other translations

BSBNo one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
WEBNo one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.
ASVNo man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:
YLTGod no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another, God in us doth remain, and His love is having been perfected in us;
DARBYNo one has seen God at any time: if we love one another,God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
BBENo man has ever seen God: if we have love for one another, God is in us and his love is made complete in us:
WebsterNo man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

What does 1 John 4:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. God, whom no man hath seen at any time, hath appointed His children as the visible recipients of our outward kindness which flows from love to Himself, "whom not having seen, we love," compare Notes, 1Jo 4:11, 1Jo 4:19, 20. Thus 1Jo 4:12 explains why, instead (in 1Jo 4:11) of saying, "If God so loved us, we ought also to love God," he said, "We ought also to love one another." If we love one another, God dwelleth in us--for God is love; and it must have been from Him dwelling in us that we drew the real love we bear to the brethren (1Jo 4:8, 16). John discusses this in 1Jo 4:13-16. his love--rather, "the love of Him," that is, "to Him" (1Jo 2:5), evinced by our love to His representatives, our brethren. is perfected in us--John discusses this in 1Jo 4:17-19. Compare 1Jo 2:5, "is perfected," that is, attains its proper maturity.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. No man hath seen God at any time. Jn 1:18, where the same declaration occurs. The statement seems to be made here in order to introduce a remark to show in what way we may know that we have any true knowledge of God. The idea is, "He has never indeed been seen by mortal eyes. We are not then, to expect to become acquainted with what he is in that way. But there is a method by which we may be assured that we have a true knowledge of him, and that is, by evidence that we love another, and by the presence of his Spirit in our hearts. We cannot become acquainted with him by sight, but we may by love." If we love one another, God dwelleth in us. Though we cannot see him, yet there is a way by which we may be assured that he is near us, and that he even dwells in us. That way is by the exercise of love. Comp. Jn 14:23, Jn 14:24.

And his love is perfected in us. Is carried out to completion. That is, our love for each other is the proper exponent of love to him reigning in our hearts. The idea here is not that we are absolutely perfect, or even that our love is perfect, whatever may be true on those points, but that this love to others is the proper carrying out of our love towards him; that is, without this our love to him would not have accomplished what it was adapted and designed to do. Unless it produced this effect, it would be defective or incomplete. Compare 1Jn 4:17. The general sense is this: "We claim to have the love of God in our hearts, or that we are influenced and controlled by love. But however high and exalted that may seem to be as exercised toward God, it would be defective; it would not exert a fair influence over us, unless it led us to love our Christian brethren. It would be like the love which we might profess to have for a father, if it did not lead us to love our brothers and sisters. True love will diffuse itself over all who come within its range, and will thus become complete and entire." This the it passage, therefore, cannot be adduced to demonstrate doctrine of sinless perfection, or to prove that Christians are ever absolutely perfect in this life. It proves only that love to God is not complete, or fully developed, unless it leads those who profess to have to love each other. Job 1:1. On the meaning of the Greek word here used, (τελειοω,) Php 3:12. Heb 2:10.

(f) "No man" 1Timm 6:16 (g) "perfected" 1Cor 13:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 No man hath seen God at any time - The very words, with the change of ἑωρακε for τεθεαται, of this apostle in his gospel, Joh 1:18. We may feel him, though we cannot see him; and if we love one another he dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us - it has then its full accomplishment, having moulded us according to its own nature.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 4:7-13

The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. He that does not love the image of God in his people, has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God's nature to be kind, and to give happiness. The law of God is love; and all would have been perfectly happy, had all obeyed it. The provision of the gospel, for the forgiveness of sin, and the salvation of sinners, consistently with God's glory and justice, shows that God is…

Read the full comment on 1 John 4:7-13 →

1 John 4:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

θεὸνtheonGodG2316
οὐδεὶςoudeisno [one]G3762
πώποτεpōpoteat any timeG4455
τεθέαται·tetheataihas seen;G2300
ἐὰνeanifG1437
ἀγαπῶμενagapōmenwe shall loveG25
ἀλλήλους,allēlousone another,G240
ὁho<the>G3588
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
ἐνeninG1722
ἡμῖνhēminusG3165
μένειmeneiabidesG3306
καὶkaiandG2532
ἡhētheG3588
ἀγάπηagapēloveG26
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
ἐνeninG1722
ἡμῖνhēminusG3165
τετελειωμένηteteleiōmenēperfectedG5048
ἐστίν.estinis.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 John 4:12

  • John 1:18

    No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

  • 1 John 2:5

    But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

  • 1 John 4:17-18

    Herein 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. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

  • 1 Timothy 6:16

    Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

  • 1 John 4:20

    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?

  • 1 John 3:24

    And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

  • Exodus 33:20

    And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

  • 1 John 4:6

    We 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.

  • Numbers 12:8

    With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

  • Hebrews 11:27

    By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

  • 1 Timothy 1:17

    Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

  • Genesis 32:30

    And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
seen.
20; Ge 32:30; Ex 33:20; Nu 12:8; Joh 1:18; 1Ti 1:17; 6:16; Heb 11:27
love one.
6; 3:24
and his.
17,18; 2:5; 1Co 13:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 John 4:11

    Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

  • 1 John 4:12

    No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

  • 1 John 4:13

    Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

Read all of 1 John 4

1 John 4:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ninguno vió jamás á Dios. Si nos amamos unos á otros, Dios está en nosotros, y su amor es perfecto en nosotros:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Personne ne vit jamais Dieu; si nous nous aimons l’un l’autre, Dieu demeure en nous, et son amour est consommé en nous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Niemand hat Gott jemals gesehen. Wenn wir einander lieben, so bleibt Gott in uns, und seine Liebe ist vollendet in uns.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Deum nemo vidit umquam. Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manet, et caritas ejus in nobis perfecta est.