1 John 4:21 (LSB)

Passage

And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Nearby Context

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

1 John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

1 John 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Study Lenses

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

The prior verse says "If someone says I love God and...", giving immediate footing for "commandment" and "loves". 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 "loves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.