1 JOHN 4:8 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love (ho theos agapē estin) — the equation of God's essence with love is the NT's boldest ontological claim. Absence of love indicates lack of knowledge (ginōskō) of God. Love is not God's property but his very being.
Church Fathers on 1 John 4:8
“We are of God.” 1 John 4:6 Let us see why; see whether it be for any other thing than charity. “We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and of error:” namely by this, that he that hears us has the spirit of truth; he that hears not us, has the spirit of error. Let us see what he advises, and let us choose rather to hear him advising in the spirit of truth, and not antichrists, not lovers of the world,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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