1 John 4:21 (DRB)

Passage

And this commandment we have from God, that he who loveth God love also his brother.

Nearby Context

1 John 4:19 Let us therefore love God: because God first hath loved us.

1 John 4:20 If any man say: I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?

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

Study Lenses

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

The prior verse says "If any man say I love God...", giving immediate footing for "commandment" and "loveth". In 1 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

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