1 John 4:19 (ASV)

Passage

We love, because he first loved us.

Nearby Context

1 John 4:17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.

1 John 4:18 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.

1 John 4:19 We love, because he first loved us.

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, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.

1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "love", "first", and "loved". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "love" and "first", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "There is no fear in love but..." into verse 20's "If a man say I love God...", so "love" and "first" belong inside that flow. In 1 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "love" and "first" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.