1 John 4:12
New International Version
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

New Living Translation
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

English Standard Version
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Berean Standard Bible
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Berean Literal Bible
No one has seen God at any time; if we should love one another, God abides in us, and His love is having been perfected in us.

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

New King James Version
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

New American Standard Bible
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

NASB 1995
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

NASB 1977
No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Legacy Standard Bible
No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Amplified Bible
No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us.

Christian Standard Bible
No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is perfected in us.

American Standard Version
No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:

Contemporary English Version
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is truly in our hearts.

English Revised Version
No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Good News Translation
No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in union with us, and his love is made perfect in us.

International Standard Version
No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Majority Standard Bible
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

NET Bible
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us.

New Heart English Bible
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

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

Weymouth New Testament
No one has ever yet seen God. If we love one another, God continues in union with us, and His love in all its perfection is in our hearts.

World English Bible
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
no one has ever seen God; if we may love one another, God remains in us, and His love is having been perfected in us;

Berean Literal Bible
No one has seen God at any time; if we should love one another, God abides in us, and His love is having been perfected in us.

Young's Literal Translation
God 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;

Smith's Literal Translation
None has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is completed in us.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his charity is perfected in us.

Catholic Public Domain Version
No one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.

New American Bible
No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.

New Revised Standard Version
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
No person has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is fulfilled in us.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Godbey New Testament
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another with divine love, God abides in us, and his divine love has been made perfect in us.

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

Mace New Testament
no man hath ever seen God, if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and our love for him is then sincere.

Weymouth New Testament
No one has ever yet seen God. If we love one another, God continues in union with us, and His love in all its perfection is in our hearts.

Worrell New Testament
No one has ever beheld God. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

Worsley New Testament
No one hath ever seen God: but if we love one another, God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love Comes from God
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.…

Cross References
John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

1 John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

John 14:23
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

1 John 3:24
Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.

1 John 2:5
But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:

1 John 4:16
And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

1 John 2:4
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:21
And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

1 John 3:11
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

1 John 3:23
And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.

1 John 2:10
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.

1 John 4:9
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.


Treasury of Scripture

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

seen.

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?

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.

Exodus 33:20
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

love one.

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.

See on ch.

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.

and his.

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…

See on ch.

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 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

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1 John 4
1. He warns them not to believe all who boast of the Spirit;
7. and exhorts to brotherly love.














No one has ever seen God
This phrase emphasizes the invisibility and transcendence of God. The Greek word for "seen" is "ἑώρακεν" (heōraken), which implies a physical sight or perception. Throughout Scripture, God is described as spirit (John 4:24), and His full glory is beyond human comprehension (Exodus 33:20). This statement underscores the mystery of God's nature and the limitations of human understanding. Historically, this aligns with the Jewish understanding of God's holiness and separateness, where even Moses could only see God's back (Exodus 33:23).

but if we love one another
The Greek word for "love" here is "ἀγαπῶμεν" (agapōmen), derived from "agape," which signifies a selfless, sacrificial love. This love is not merely an emotion but an action and commitment. The conditional "if" suggests that loving one another is a choice and a commandment (John 13:34). In the early Christian community, this love was a defining characteristic, setting believers apart in a world often marked by division and strife.

God remains in us
The word "remains" is translated from the Greek "μένει" (menei), meaning to abide or dwell. This indicates a continuous, enduring presence of God within believers. Theologically, this speaks to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who empowers and guides Christians (John 14:17). Historically, this concept would have been revolutionary, as it suggests a personal and intimate relationship with God, contrasting with the distant deity of many ancient religions.

and His love is perfected in us
The term "perfected" comes from the Greek "τετελειωμένη" (teteleiōmenē), which means to bring to completion or maturity. This does not imply flawlessness but rather a process of growth and fulfillment. God's love reaches its intended purpose when believers love one another, reflecting His character to the world. This perfection is not achieved by human effort alone but through the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. In the context of the early church, this would have been a powerful testimony to the unity and divine nature of the Christian community.

Verse 12. - No one hath ever yet beheld God. Θεόν stands first for emphasis. and without the article, as meaning the Divine Being rather than the Father in particular: "With regard to God - no one hath ever yet beheld him" τεθεάται, stronger than ἑώρακεν. Why does St. John introduce this statement here? Not, of course, as implying that to love an invisible Being is impossible; but that the only security for genuine and lasting love in such a case is to love that which visibly represents him. Seeing that God is invisible, his abiding in us can be shown only by his essential characteristic being exhibited in us, i.e., by our showing similar self-sacrificing love Ἡ ἀγάπη αὐτοῦ can scarcely mean God's love for us; for how can our loving one another make his love perfect? Nor yet vaguely, "the relation of love between us and God;" but, as in 1 John 2:5, our love for him. Our love towards God is perfected and brought to maturity by the exercise of love towards our brethren in him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
No one
οὐδεὶς (oudeis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing.

has ever seen
τεθέαται (tetheatai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2300: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. perceive; by extension to visit.

God;
Θεὸν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

[but] if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

we love
ἀγαπῶμεν (agapōmen)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

one another,
ἀλλήλους (allēlous)
Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 240: One another, each other. Genitive plural from allos reduplicated; one another.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

remains
μένει (menei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3306: To remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await. A primary verb; to stay.

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.

us,
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

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

is
ἐστιν (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.

perfected
τετελειωμένη (teteleiōmenē)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine 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.

us.
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Letters: 1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 4:11
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