1 John 4:18
in 1 John 4There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
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This verse in 1 John 4
Commentary
34 notes on this verseJohn, in fact, exhorts us to lay down our lives even for our brethren, affirming that there is no fear in love: "For perfect love casteth out fear, since fear has punishment; and he who fears is not perfect in love." What fear would it be better to understand (as here meant), than that which gives rise to denial? What love does he assert to be perfect, but that which puts fear to flight, and gives courage to confess?
This site's exposition
perfect love casteth out fear
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear names torment, kolasis, the same word used of eternal punishment at Matthew 25:46, as fear's own content, dread of the very judgment just named in verse 17. He that feareth is not made perfect in love states the converse plainly, fear and completed love occupying the same space only until one displaces the other, the fear not sin itself but evidence that love's work is unfinished. The verse gives assurance its emotional ground, not a demand to manufacture fearlessness but a promise that love, allowed to grow, drives out dread on its own.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear: for fear has torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. Furthermore, he says, living this way, we will have confidence towards him, and we will be without fear then. For …
As John says: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Indeed, he said this, and he spoke truly. Therefore, if you do not wish to have fear, first see whether you already have perfect love, which casts out fear. But if before attaining this perfection, fear is excluded, it is pride that inflates, not love that builds up. For just as in good health hunger is driven away not by disdain but by food; so in a good mind fear must not be driven away by vanity, but by love.
Now therefore concerning this same boldness, let us see what he says. Whence do we understand that charity is perfect? "There is no fear in charity." Then what say we of him that has begun to fear the day of judgment? If charity in him were perfect, he would not fear. For perfect charity would make perfect righteousness, and he would have nothing to fear: nay rather he would have something to desire; that iniquity may pass away, and God's kingdom come. So then, "there is no fear in charity." But in what charity? Not in charity begun: in what then? "But perfect charity," saith he, "casteth out fear." Then let fear make the beginning, because "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Fear, so to say, prepares a place for charity. But when once charity has begun to inhabit, the fear which prepared the place for it is cast out. For in proportion as this increases, that decreases: and the more this comes to be within, is the fear cast out. Greater charity, less fear; less charity, greater fear. But if no fear, there is no way for charity to come in.
As we see in sewing, the thread is introduced by means of the bristle; the bristle first enters, but except it come out the thread does not come into its place: so fear first occupies the mind, but the fear does not remain there, because it enters only in order to introduce charity. When once there is the sense of security in the mind, what joy have we both in this world and in the world to come! Even in this world, who shall hurt us, being full of charity? See how the apostle exults concerning this very charity: "Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
The consciousness of sins torments the heart: justification has not yet taken place. There is that in it which itches, which pricks. Accordingly in the Psalm what saith he concerning this same perfection of righteousness? "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing to thee, and that I be not pricked." What is this, "That I be not pricked?" That there be not that which shall goad my conscience. Fear doth goad: but fear not thou: charity enters in, and she heals the wound that fear inflicts. The fear of God so wounds as doth the leech's knife; it takes away the rottenness, and seems to make the wound greater. Behold, when the rottenness was in the body, the wound was less, but perilous: then comes the knife; the wound smarted less than it smarts now while the leech is cutting it. It smarts more while he is operating upon it than it would if it were not operated upon; it smarts more under the healing operation, but only that it may never smart when the healing is effected.
27 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers13 voices
Then let fear occupy thine heart, that it may bring in charity; let the cicatrice succeed to the leech's knife. He is such an Healer, that the cicatrices do not even appear: only do thou put thyself under His hand. For if thou be without fear, thou canst not be justified. It is a sentence pronounced by the Scriptures; "For he that is without fear, cannot be justified." Needs then must fear first enter in, that by it charity may come. Fear is the healing operation: charity, the sound condition. "But he that feareth is not made perfect in love." Why? "Because fear hath torment;" just as the cutting of the surgeon's knife hath torment.
But there is another sentence, which seems contrary to this if it have not one that understands. Namely, it is said in a certain place of the Psalms, "The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring forever." He shows us an eternal fear, but a chaste. But if he there shows us an eternal fear, does this epistle perchance contradict him, when it saith, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear?" Let us interrogate both utterances of God. One is the Spirit, though the books two, though the mouths two though the tongues two. For this is said by the mouth of John, that by the mouth of David: but think not that the Spirit is more than one. If one breath fills two pipes, cannot one Spirit fill two hearts, move two tongues? But if two pipes filled by one breathing sound in unison, can two tongues filled with the Spirit or Breathing of God make a dissonance? There is then an unison there, there is a harmony, only it requires one that can hear. Behold, this Spirit of God hath breathed into and filled two hearts, hath moved two tongues: and we have heard from the one tongue, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear;" we have heard from the other, "The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring for ever." How is this? The notes seem to jar. Not so: rouse thine ears: mark the melody.
It is not without cause that in the one place there is added that word, chaste, in the other it is not added: but because there is one fear which is called chaste, and there is another fear which is not called chaste. Let us mark the difference between these two fears, and so understand the harmony of the flutes. How are we to understand, or how to distinguish? Mark, my beloved. There are men who fear God, lest they be cast into hell, lest haply they burn with the devil in everlasting fire. This is the fear which introduces charity: but it comes that it may depart. For if thou as yet fearest God because of punishments, not yet dost thou love Him whom thou in such sort fearest. Thou dost not desire the good things, but art afraid of the evil things. Yet because thou art afraid of the evil things, thou correctest thyself and beginnest to desire the good things. When once thou hast begun to desire the good, there shall be in thee the chaste fear.
What is the chaste fear? The fear lest thou lose the good things themselves. Mark! It is one thing to fear God lest He cast thee into hell with the devil, and another thing to fear God lest He forsake thee. The fear by which thou fearest lest thou be cast into hell with the devil, is not yet chaste; for it comes not from the love of God, but from the fear of punishment: but when thou fearest God lest His presence forsake thee, thou embracest Him, thou longest to enjoy God Himself.
One cannot better explain the difference between these two fears, the one which charity casteth out, the other chaste, which endureth for ever, than by putting the case of two married women, one of whom, you may suppose, is willing to commit adultery, delights in wickedness, only fears lest she be condemned by her husband. She fears her husband: but because she yet loves wickedness, that is the reason why she fears her husband. To this woman, the presence of her husband is not grateful but burdensome; and if it chance she live wickedly, she fears her husband, lest he should come. Such are they that fear the coming of the day of judgment.
Put the case that the other loves her husband, that she feels that she owes him chaste embraces, that she stains herself with no uncleanness of adultery; she wishes for the presence of her husband. And how are these two fears distinguished? The one woman fears, the other also fears. Question them: they seem to make one answer: question the one, Dost thou fear thine husband? she answers, I do. Question the other, whether she fears her husband; she answers, I do fear him. The voice is one, the mind diverse. Now then let them be questioned, Why? The one saith, I fear my husband, lest he should come: the other saith, I fear my husband, lest he depart from me. The one saith, I fear to be condemned: the other, I fear to be forsaken. Let the like have place in the mind of Christians, and thou findest a fear which love casteth out, and another fear, chaste, enduring for ever.
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God · Written before 523.
proposed
It is necessary that whosoever occupieth the position of a servant should fear, for fear should follow after service in every form; but there is in the love which is not perfect, fear, for the Holy Book saith, "In perfect love there is no fear." …
"There is no fear," says he, "in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear has torment"-the fire of the lake, no doubt. "He that feareth is not perfect in love" -to wit, the love of God.
But the man who does not fear to suffer, he will be perfect in love-in the love, it is meant, of God; "for perfect love casteth out fear." "And therefore many are called, but few chosen.
The apostles had to ensure that no other truth would creep in and that no other doctrine would be taught. To do this, it was necessary to increase the capacity of those who were being taught and to multiply the constancy of that love which drives out all fear, not dreading the rage of persecutors.
For, fearing the Lord, you will not do these deeds, but will refrain from them. For fears are of two kinds: for if you do not wish to do that which is evil, fear the Lord, and you will not do it; but, again, if you wish to do that which is good, fear the Lord, and you will do it.
A commentator
Clement of AlexandriaFrom the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.
proposed
He says, "Perfect love casteth out fear." For the perfection of a believing man is love.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear: for fear has torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. He who genuinely loves God does so not out of fear of punishment, but because of a passionate love for …
The Medieval Church5 voices
But perfect love casts out fear. This fear, of course, of which it is said: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm CX). By which anyone fearing begins works of justice, lest the strict Judge come, and finding himself less chastened, …
There is no fear in love. In that particular love which, in imitation of divine goodness, knows how to do good even to enemies and to love them.
Because fear has torment. The heart is tormented by the conscience of sins, because justification has not yet been made. Therefore, in the Psalm, concerning this very perfection of justice, "You have turned (he says) my mourning into joy for me; you have removed my …
But whoever fears is not perfect in charity. Because clearly fear has punishment, as a doctor's surgery has punishment; although just as the doctor's surgery brings hoped-for health, so fear follows desired charity. Nor should it be thought that the words of Blessed John are …
For, having attained perfection in love through good deeds, we shall be far from fear. In confirmation of this he also adds: perfect love casts out fear. What fear? He himself says that it is the fear of torment. For it is possible to love …
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
There is no fear in love - No slavish fear can be where love reigns. But perfect, adult love casteth out slavish fear: because such fear hath torment - And so is inconsistent with the happiness of love. A natural man has neither fear nor love; one that is awakened, fear without love; a babe in Christ, love and fear; a father in Christ, love without fear.
Those who perfectly love God are, from his nature, and counsel, and covenant, perfectly assured of his love, and consequently are perfectly free from any dismal dreadful suspicions of his punitive power and justice, as armed against them; they well know that God loves them, and they thereupon triumph in his love.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
) --fear is known to be a disquieting torturing passion, especially such a fear as is the dread of an almighty avenging God; but perfect love casteth out torment, for it teaches the mind a perfect acquiescence and complacency in the beloved, and therefore perfect love casteth out fear. Or, which is here equivalent, he that feareth is not made perfect in love (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
There is no fear in love,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The design of Christ's propitiatory death was to deliver from this bondage of fear. but--"nay" [ALFORD]. fear hath torment--Greek, "punishment." Fear is always revolving in the mind the punishment deserved [ESTIUS]. Fear, by anticipating punishment (through consciousness of deserving it), has it even now, that is, the foretaste of it.
There is no fear in love - The man who feels that he loves God with all his heart can never dread him as his Judge. As he is now made a partaker of his Spirit, and carries a sense of the Divine approbation in his conscience, he has nothing of that fear that produces terror or brings torment. The perfect love - that fullness of love, which he has received, casteth out fear - removes all terror relative to this day of judgment, for it is of this that the apostle particularly speaks.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
There is no fear in love - Love is not an affection which produces fear. In the love which we have for a parent, a child, a friend, there is no fear. If a man had perfect love to God, he would have no fear of anything - for what would he have to dread? He would have no fear of death, for he would have nothing to dread beyond the grave. It is guilt that makes people fear what is to come; but he whose sins are pardoned, and whose heart is filled with the love of God, has nothing to dread in this world or the world to come. The angels in heaven, who have always loved God and one another, have no fear, for they have nothing to dread in the future; the redeemed in heaven, rescued from all danger, and filled with the love of God, have nothing to dread; and as far as that same loves operates on earth, it delivers the soul now from all apprehension of what is to come. But perfect love casteth out fear - That is, love that is complete, or that is allowed to exert its proper influence on the soul. As far as it exists, its tendency is to deliver the mind from alarms. If it should exist in any soul in an absolutely perfect state, that soul would be entirely free from all dread in regard to the future. Because fear hath torment - It is a painful and distressing emotion. Thus men suffer from the fear of poverty, of losses, of bereavement, of sickness, of death, and of future woe. From all these distressing apprehensions, that love of God which furnishes an evidence of true piety delivers us. He that feareth, is not made perfect in love - He about whose mind there lingers the apprehension of future wrath, shows that love in his soul has not accomplished its full work. Perhaps it never will on any soul until we reach the heavenly world, though there are many minds so full of love to God, as to be prevailingly delivered from fear.
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
Kenneth Hagin1917–2003
Love: The Way to Victory (excerpt: "Love Is a Fruit of the Spirit")
proposed
Thank God, we can grow and develop in love! Thank God, we can be perfected or matured in love.
The words behind it
27 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| φόβος | phobos | Fear | G5401 → | 46 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | no | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔστιν | estin | there is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπῃ, | agape | love, | G26 → | 114 times |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τελεία | teleia | perfect | G5046 → | |
| ἀγάπη | agape | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| ἔξω | exo | out | G1854 → | |
| βάλλει | ballei | casts | G906 → | |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φόβον, | phobon | fear, | G5401 → | 46 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φόβος | phobos | fear | G5401 → | 46 times |
| κόλασιν | kolasin | punishment | G2851 → | |
| ἔχει· | echei | has; | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| φοβούμενος | phoboumenos | fearing | G5399 → | |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| τετελείωται | teteleiotai | has been perfected | G5048 → | 23 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπῃ. | agape | love. | G26 → | 114 times |
φόβοςFear
phobosG5401 →46 times
οὐκno
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔστινthere is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπῃ,love,
agapeG26 →114 times
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
τελείαperfect
teleiaG5046 →
ἀγάπηlove
agapeG26 →114 times
ἔξωout
exoG1854 →
βάλλειcasts
balleiG906 →
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
φόβον,fear,
phobonG5401 →46 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
φόβοςfear
phobosG5401 →46 times
κόλασινpunishment
kolasinG2851 →
ἔχει·has;
echeiG2192 →707 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
φοβούμενοςfearing
phoboumenosG5399 →
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
τετελείωταιhas been perfected
teteleiotaiG5048 →23 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπῃ.love.
agapeG26 →114 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 1:7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
it leads to
- Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
- Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Romans 8:15
Through
Romans 8:15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
it leads to
- Galatians 4:5–7
to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
- 2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
- Galatians 4:5–7
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Love35 verses
On this page
Studies5
About 1 John
This page draws on 19 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 348; Augustine of Hippo, Ten Homilies on 1 John 9; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Kenneth Hagin, Love: The Way to Victory (excerpt: "Love Is a Fruit of the Spirit"); Leo the Great, SERMONS 76.5; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 John; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God; Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Commandment 7; Tertullian, Scorpiace; Tertullian, On Flight in Persecution and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 John.