1 John 4:18
New International Version
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

New Living Translation
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

English Standard Version
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Berean Standard Bible
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

Berean Literal Bible
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment; and the one fearing has not been perfected in love.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

New American Standard Bible
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

NASB 1995
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

NASB 1977
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Legacy Standard Bible
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Amplified Bible
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].

Christian Standard Bible
There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.

American Standard Version
There 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear is by suspicion, but he who fears is not grown up in love.

Contemporary English Version
A real love for others will chase those worries away. The thought of being punished is what makes us afraid. It shows we have not really learned to love.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth, is not perfected in charity.

English Revised Version
There 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love.

Good News Translation
There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment.

International Standard Version
There is no fear where love exists. Rather, perfect love banishes fear, for fear involves punishment, and the person who lives in fear has not been perfected in love.

Literal Standard Version
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and he who is fearing has not been made perfect in love;

Majority Standard Bible
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

New American Bible
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

NET Bible
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been perfected in love.

New Revised Standard Version
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.

New Heart English Bible
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
Love has in it no element of fear; but perfect love drives away fear, because fear involves pain, and if a man gives way to fear, there is something imperfect in his love.

World English Bible
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

Young's Literal Translation
fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love Comes from God
17In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him. 18There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. 19We love because He first loved us.…

Cross References
Matthew 9:34
But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons."

Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"

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.


Treasury of Scripture

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.

is no.

Luke 1:74,75
That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, …

Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

fear hath.

Job 15:21
A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

Psalm 73:19
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

Psalm 88:15,16
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted…

He that.

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.

Jump to Previous
Cast Casteth Casts Complete Drives Fear Feareth Fearing Fears Free Gives Imperfect Involves Love Pain Perfect Perfected Punishment Room Something Torment True. Way
Jump to Next
Cast Casteth Casts Complete Drives Fear Feareth Fearing Fears Free Gives Imperfect Involves Love Pain Perfect Perfected Punishment Room Something Torment True. Way
1 John 4
1. He warns them not to believe all who boast of the Spirit;
7. and exhorts to brotherly love.














Verse 18. - Love implies attraction, fear repulsion; therefore fear exists not in love. Love here means the principle of love in general; it must not be limited to God's love to us, or our love to God, or our love of the brethren. Love and fear coexist only where love is not yet perfect. Perfect love will absolutely exclude fear as surely as perfect union excludes all separation. It is self-interested love that fears; pure and unselfish love has no fear. Yet nothing but perfect love must be allowed to cast out fear. Otherwise this text might be made an excuse for taking the most unwarrantable liberties with Almighty God. To cease to fear without attaining to perfect love is to be irreverent and presumptuous. Hence the apostle is once more pointing out an ideal to which Christians must aspire, but to which no one attains in this life. There is a fear, as Bede points out, which prepares the way for love, and which comes only to depart again when its work is done. Because fear hath punishment. Κόλασις must not be rendered indefinitely "suffering" or "torment" (Matthew 25:46; Ezekiel 43:11; Wisd. 11:14; 2 Macc. 4:38). But κόλασιν ἔχει does not mean "deserves" or "will receive punishment," but quite literally "has it." It is the day of judgment and fear in reference to that day that is under consideration; and fear of punishment is in itself punishment by anticipation. Note the ἀλλά and the δέ, introducing a contrary and then a contrast back again: "There is no fear in love; nay, perfect love casteth out fear: but he that habitually feareth [present participle] is not made perfect in love." The dread of punishment may deter men from sin; but it cannot lead them to righteousness. For that we need either the sense of duty or the feeling of love.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
There is
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

no
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

fear
Φόβος (Phobos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5401: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect. From a primary phebomai; alarm or fright.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

love,
ἀγάπῃ (agapē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 26: From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

perfect
τελεία (teleia)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5046: From telos; complete; neuter completeness.

love
ἀγάπη (agapē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 26: From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.

drives
βάλλει (ballei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 906: (a) I cast, throw, rush, (b) often, in the weaker sense: I place, put, drop. A primary verb; to throw.

out
ἔξω (exō)
Adverb
Strong's 1854: Without, outside. Adverb from ek; out(-side, of doors), literally or figuratively.

fear,
φόβον (phobon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5401: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect. From a primary phebomai; alarm or fright.

because
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

fear
φόβος (phobos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5401: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect. From a primary phebomai; alarm or fright.

involves
ἔχει (echei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

punishment.
κόλασιν (kolasin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2851: Chastisement, punishment, torment, perhaps with the idea of deprivation. From kolazo; penal infliction.

The [one who]
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

fears
φοβούμενος (phoboumenos)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5399: From phobos; to frighten, i.e. to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. Revere.

has not been perfected
τετελείωται (teteleiōtai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5048: From teleios; to complete, i.e. accomplish, or consummate.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

love.
ἀγάπῃ (agapē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 26: From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.


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NT Letters: 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 4:17
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