1 John 4:18

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Translations sourced from the public-domain WEB, KJV, and ASV. See all sources.

“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.”

— WEB

“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.”

— KJV

“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.”

— ASV

Bible Verses About Fear

Cross-references

Related verses via the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control."
Romans 8:15 "For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba!Abba is an Ara…"
1 John 4:12 "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."
Luke 1:74-75 "to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,"
Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,"
James 2:19 "You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder."
Psalms 119:120 "My flesh trembles for fear of you. I am afraid of your judgments."
Psalms 73:19 "How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors."

Commentary

Fear has no place in love. Bold confidence (Jo1 4:17), based on love, cannot coexist with fear. Love, which, when perfected, gives bold confidence, casts out fear (compare Heb 2:14-15). The design of Christ's propitiatory death was to deliver from this bondage of fear. but--"nay" [ALFORD]. fear hath torment--Greek, "punishment." Fear is always revolving in the mind the punishment deserved [ESTIUS]. Fear, by anticipating punishment (through consciousness of deserving it), has it even now, that is, the foretaste of it. Perfect love is incompatible with such a self-punishing fear. Godly fear of offending God is quite distinct from slavish fear of consciously deserved punishment. The latter fear is natural to us all until love casts it out. "Men's states vary: one is without fear and love; another, with fear without love; another, with fear and love; another, without fear with love" [BENGEL].

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)

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