1 John 4:9
in 1 John 4This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Herein 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.
KJV
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
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This verse in 1 John 4
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In this was manifested the love of God - That is, in an eminent manner, or this was a most signal proof of it. The apostle does not mean to say that it has been manifested in no other way, but that this was so prominent an instance of his love, that all the other manifestations of it seemed absorbed and lost in this. Because that God sent his only begotten Son ... - See the notes at Joh 3:
This site's exposition
God’s love was revealed among us
on 1 John 4:9-10
God's love is shown in an act: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. Love begins with God, not that we loved God, but that He loved us. The Son came as the atoning sacrifice, the Greek hilasmos of 2:2.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"In this was manifested the love of God in us." Behold, in order that we may love God, we have exhortation. Could we love Him, unless He first loved us? If we were slow to love, let us not be slow to love in return. He first loved us; not even so do we love. He loved the unrighteous, but He did away the unrighteousness: He loved the unrighteous, but not unto unrighteousness did He gather them together: He loved the sick, but He visited them to make them whole. "Love," then, "is God." "In this was manifested the love of God in us, because that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world, that we may live through Him." As the Lord Himself saith: "Greater love than this can no man have, that a man lay down his life for his friends:" and there was proved the love of Christ towards us, in that He died for us: how is the love of the Father towards us proved? In that He "sent His only Son" to die for us: so also the apostle Paul saith: "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how hath He not with Him also freely given us all things?" Behold the Father delivered up Christ; Judas delivered Him up; does it not seem as if the thing done were of the same sort? Judas is "traditor," one that delivered up, [or, a traitor]: is God the Father that? God forbid! sayest thou. I do not say it, but the apostle saith, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." Both the Father delivered Him up, and He delivered up Himself. The same apostle saith: "Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." If the Father delivered up the Son; and the Son delivered up Himself, what has Judas done? […]
Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, "who bore our sins in His own body on the tree," "who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth," but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him. Let us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer for His name's sake, let us glorify Him. For He has set us this example in Himself, and we have believed that such is the case.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this, the love of God was revealed in us, …
The Medieval Church2 voices
In this God's love appeared in us, etc. As the Lord himself says: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John XV); and thus the love of Christ for us is proven, because he died …
This is evident from the fact that He sent His Only-Begotten Son into the world so that He might grant us true life and we might live through Him.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Should we suppose him begotten as a creature or created being, he is not the only-begotten. Should we suppose him a natural necessary eradication from the Father's glory or glorious essence, or substance, he must be the only-begotten: and then it will be a mystery and miracle of divine love that such a Son should be sent into our world for us!
), towards us mortals, us ungrateful rebels. God commandeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Rom. v. 8 . Strange that God should love impure, vain, vile, dust and ashes!
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
In this was manifested the love of God towards us,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
toward us--Greek, "in our case." sent--Greek, "hath sent." into the world--a proof against Socinians, that the Son existed before He was "sent into the world." Otherwise, too, He could not have been our life (1Jo 4:9), our "propitiation" (1Jo 4:10), or our "Saviour" (1Jo 4:14).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
In this was manifested the love of God - The mission of Jesus Christ was the fullest proof that God could give, or that man could receive, of his infinite love to the world. That we might live through him - The whole world was sentenced to death because of sin; and every individual was dead in trespasses and sins; and Jesus came to die in the stead of the world, and to quicken every believer, that all might live to him who died for them and rose again. This is another strong allusion to Joh 3:16: God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; where the reader is requested to see the note on Joh 3:16.
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἐφανερώθη | ephanerothe | has been revealed | G5319 → | 45 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπη | agape | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἡμῖν, | hemin | us, | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| υἱὸν | huion | Son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μονογενῆ | monogene | one and only | G3439 → | |
| ἀπέσταλκεν | apestalken | has sent | G649 → | 132 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κόσμον | kosmon | world | G2889 → | 185 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ζήσωμεν | zesomen | we may live | G2198 → | |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| αὐτοῦ. | autou | Him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ἐνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
τούτῳthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ἐφανερώθηhas been revealed
ephanerotheG5319 →45 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπηlove
agapeG26 →114 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
ἡμῖν,us,
heminG3165 →1936 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
υἱὸνSon
huionG5207 →377 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
μονογενῆone and only
monogeneG3439 →
ἀπέσταλκενhas sent
apestalkenG649 →132 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κόσμονworld
kosmonG2889 →185 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ζήσωμενwe may live
zesomenG2198 →
δι᾽through
di᾽G1223 →664 times
αὐτοῦ.Him.
autouG846 →5565 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
John 3:16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
it leads to
- Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- 1 John 4:9–10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- John 3:15
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
- John 11:25–26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- Romans 5:8
Through
Romans 8:32He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
it leads to
- John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- John 3:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About 1 John
This page draws on 11 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, Ten Homilies on 1 John 7; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on 1 John; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 John; Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle to the Philippians 8 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 John.