God is love is a verse that is present in the Holy Bible. It is present in the 1 John 4:16. The verse present in John is believed to be a similar verse that contains the word God is love.
This particular verse, which contains God is love is about the loving nature of God and also about the fact that one can understand God and his nature only after they can understand the real meaning of love and the factors which affect this love.
Full Verse of the Bible Phrase
The full Bible verse related to God is love is present in the 1 John 4:8, 16. This particular Bible verse has been interpreted in various languages and conclusions. But the essence and the core meaning of the same remains preserved and intact.
The full Bible verse related to God is love is given below:
Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love… God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.
God is Love Verses in 1 John 4
Many verses are present in the Holy Bible and other such religious textbooks and scriptures which have mentioned the verse God is love in them. All such verses from the Bible are listed below:
1. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3. But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
5. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
6. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
7. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
10. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13. We know that we live in him and he in us because he has given us of his Spirit.
14. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
15. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and him in God.
16. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
17. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment because in this world we are like him.
18. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19. We love because he first loved us.
20. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
21. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Summary of God is Love Bible Verse
The entire passage which is found in 1 John 4:7-21 narrates fairy stories about the loving nature of a God. It is said in the verse that love is not only an attribute of God but it is considered to be his nature.
God is not only loving in nature but he is himself the fundamental love. God alone loves his devotees and disciples completely and understand the perfect definition of love.
So, if we consider God is the form of love & his devotees or followers are emerged or born from God, then and we also love. God always loves his devotees & disciples and we must also love not only the almighty but also one another and live in peace and harmony.
A person of the Christian religion was once saved by the love and was ultimately filled with the love of God, decided to live a life towards the love, and also devote his life to others.
In this particular section of the scripture, all the people have learned about the brotherly love which is the response of humanity towards God’s love. God teaches all his believers about how to show his love to others, to families, to friends, and even to the enemies.
He has said that love should be unconditional. But one must understand that the love of God is different from the love which humans experience with one another because the love of God is pure and is based irrespective of the feelings.
God does not love his believers and devotees because of all the offerings which they give him but he loves them simply because he is love.
Love is said to be the truest test of Christianity. The character of God is said to be the one that is deeply connected with love. The people receive love of God when they are in a relationship with them & can experience his love in other relationships with mankind as well.
Love is considered to be a gift of God and the love of God it is said to be light-giving and an energizing force. This particular love was demonstrated in Jesus Christ as a father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love (John 15:9, ESV).
When one can receive the above the court, then it triggers love inside them which they further transfer and communicate with the other human beings.
Related Verses to God is Love
Some of the verses which are related to the verses are given below:
John 3:16 (NLT) – For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8 (NIV) – But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:4–5 (NIV) – But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
1 John 4:17–19 (NLT) – And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.
Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT) – Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself.”
Comparison as per Bible Verses
The comparison of the different verses which has quoted God is love is given below. These are taken from the different versions of the publications like the new international version, new living translation, new king James version, etc.
1 John 4:8
(New International Version)
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
(English Standard Version)
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
(New Living Translation)
But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
(New King James Version)
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
(King James Version)
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:16b
(New International Version)
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
(English Standard Version)
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
(New Living Translation)
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
(New King James Version)
God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
(King James Version)
God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Conclusion
God is love is a verse that has been stated and quoted in many verses present in the holy book of the Bible and even in other publications and religious scriptures. This verse tells about the love of God and also the relationship of the devotees with God.
The crux of the verse is interpreted in many forms and ways by different writers and publication houses, but the essence remains the same, which is that the love of God is different from the love of the humans as it does not have any expectations from one another.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Why is the love of God considered to be superior then the love of mankind?
The love of God is considered to be superior to the love of mankind because God’s love does not have any expectations from the human beings, while the love of the humans is filled with expectations from one another.
Why do people believe that God is love?
People believe in this fact because the feelings and the emotions which he displays to his devotees and worshipers, it teaches all his believers about how to show his love to others, to families, to friends and even to the enemies.