1 John 4:12

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Θεὸν Οὐδεὶς πώποτε τεθέαται. Ἐὰν ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους, ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν μένει, καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη αὐτοῦ τετελειωμένη ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν.

Transliteration

Theon Oudeis pōpote tethetai. If agapōmen allēlous, the Theos in us menei, and the agapē of him teteleiōmenē estin in us.

Grammar Details

*Theon*: accusative, masculine, singular - God
*Oudeis*: nominative, masculine, singular - no one
*pōpote*: adverb - ever/at any time
*tethetai*: perfect middle/passive indicative, 3rd singular - has seen
*agapōmen*: present active subjunctive, 1st plural - we love/we might love
*allēlous*: accusative, masculine, plural - one another
*Theos*: nominative, masculine, singular - God
*menei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - remains/abides
*agapē*: nominative, feminine, singular - love
*teteleiōmenē*: perfect passive participle, nominative, feminine, singular - having been perfected
*estin*: present indicative, 3rd singular - is

Word Meanings

*tethetai*: has seen/has beheld/has observed
*agapōmen*: we love/we might love/we should love
*menei*: remains/abides/dwells/stays
*agapē*: love/divine love/selfless love
*teteleiōmenē*: having been perfected/having been completed/having been brought to fullness

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

John 1:18 : 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
1 John 2:5 : 5 but whoso {G302} keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him:
1 Tim 6:16 : 16 who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honor and power eternal. Amen.
1 John 4:20 : 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, {G4459} cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
1 John 4:17-18 : 17 Herein {G5129} is {G3326} {G2257} 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. 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.
Heb 11:27 : 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
1 John 3:24 : 24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby {G5129} we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
1 Cor 13:13 : 13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Gen 32:30 : 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, [said he], I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Exod 33:20 : 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.
Num 12:8 : 8 with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?
1 Tim 1:17 : 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only {G4680} God, [be] honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 John 4:6 : 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

1 John 4:15-21
7 verses
84%
15Whosoever {G302} shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.
16And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.
17Herein {G5129} is {G3326} {G2257} 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.
18There 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.
19We love, {G25} {G846} because he first loved us.
20If 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, {G4459} cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
21And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John 4:6-11
6 verses
84%
6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.
8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9Herein {G5129} was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.
10Herein {G5129} is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:13
83%
13hereby {G5129} we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 John 2:5-6
2 verses
77%
5but whoso {G302} keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him:
6he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked.
John 1:18
77%
18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
1 John 3:23-24
2 verses
75%
23And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.
24And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby {G5129} we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
1 John 3:14-19
6 verses
75%
14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not {G80} abideth in death.
15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16Hereby {G5129} know we love, {G2316} because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17But whoso {G302} hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
18[ My] Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
19{G2532} Hereby {G5129} shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him:
1 John 3:6
74%
6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.
1 John 3:10-11
2 verses
74%
10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
11For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
1 John 3:1-2
2 verses
74%
1Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and [such] we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.
1 John 1:2-3
2 verses
73%
2(and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal [life], which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us);
3that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ:
1 John 1:5-8
4 verses
73%
5And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus {G5547} his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 Cor 8:3
72%
3but if any man loveth God, the same is known by him.
John 6:46
72%
46Not that any man hath seen the Father, save {G3361} he that is from God, he hath seen the Father.
1 John 5:1-2
2 verses
72%
1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever {G3588} loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2Hereby {G5129} we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.
John 14:23
72%
23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
1 John 2:15
71%
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
2 John 1:9
71%
9Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, {G5547} the same hath both the Father and the Son.
3 John 1:11
71%
11Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: {G1161} he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
John 13:35
71%
35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
1 Pet 1:22
70%
22Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the {G2513} heart fervently:
1 John 5:20
70%
20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1 John 1:10
70%
10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 2:3
70%
3And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
John 15:12
70%
12This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.