LOVE: THE KEY TO DIVINE VISITATION

◄ Hebrews 13:2 ►

God is love, therefore those who desire to have an encounter with God must walk in love. An encounter with love is an encounter with God.

◄ 1 John 4:8 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Whoever 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.
English Standard Version
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Berean Study Bible
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Berean Literal Bible
The one not loving has not known God, because God is love.
New American Standard Bible
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
King James Bible
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
International Standard Version
The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
NET Bible
The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because God is love, and everyone who does not love does not know God.
GOD'S WORD® Translation
The person who doesn't love doesn't know God, because God is love.
New American Standard 1977
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Jubilee Bible 2000
He that does not love does not know God, for God is charity.
King James 2000 Bible
He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.
American King James Version
He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.
American Standard Version
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.
Darby Bible Translation
He that loves not has not known God; for God is love.
English Revised Version
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Webster's Bible Translation
He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.
Weymouth New Testament
He who is destitute of love has never had any knowledge of God; because God is love.
World English Bible
He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.
Young's Literal Translation
he who is not loving did not know God, because God is love.

Parallel Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
4:7-13 The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. He that does not love the image of God in his people, has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God's nature to be kind, and to give happiness. The law of God is love; and all would have been perfectly happy, had all obeyed it. The provision of the gospel, for the forgiveness of sin, and the salvation of sinners, consistently with God's glory and justice, shows that God is love. Mystery and darkness rest upon many things yet. God has so shown himself to be love, that we cannot come short of eternal happiness, unless through unbelief and impenitence, although strict justice would condemn us to hopeless misery, because we break our Creator's laws. None of our words or thoughts can do justice to the free, astonishing love of a holy God towards sinners, who could not profit or harm him, whom he might justly crush in a moment, and whose deserving of his vengeance was shown in the method by which they were saved, though he could by his almighty Word have created other worlds, with more perfect beings, if he had seen fit. Search we the whole universe for love in its most glorious displays? It is to be found in the person and the cross of Christ. Does love exist between God and sinners? Here was the origin, not that we loved God, but that he freely loved us. His love could not be designed to be fruitless upon us, and when its proper end and issue are gained and produced, it may be said to be perfected. So faith is perfected by its works. Thus it will appear that God dwells in us by his new-creating Spirit. A loving Christian is a perfect Christian; set him to any good duty, and he is perfect to it, he is expert at it. Love oils the wheels of his affections, and sets him on that which is helpful to his brethren. A man that goes about a business with ill will, always does it badly. That God dwells in us and we in him, were words too high for mortals to use, had not God put them before us. But how may it be known whether the testimony to this does proceed from the Holy Ghost? Those who are truly persuaded that they are the sons of God, cannot but call him Abba, Father. From love to him, they hate sin, and whatever disagrees with his will, and they have a sound and hearty desire to do his will. Such testimony is the testimony of the Holy Ghost.

Pulpit Commentary
Verse 8. - In giving the opposite, St. John again varies the thought, this time very remarkably. Instead of "love is of God" (verse 7), we have "God is Love" - a far deeper thought; and instead of "knoweth not God," we have "knew not God," or, as we should say in English, "hath not known" or "never knew God." The man's not loving his brother shows that in no real sense has he ever in the past known God: he is of the world (chapter 3:1), not of God. We must beware of watering down "God is Love" into "God is loving," or even "God of all beings is the most loving." Love is not a mere attribute of God; like light, it is his very nature. As "God is Light" sums up the Being of God intellectually considered, so "God is Love" sums up the same on the moral side. Only when this strong meaning is given to the statement does St. John's argument hold, that "he that loveth not knoweth not God." A man who has no idea of any one of the attributes of God, as order, or beauty, or power, or justice, has an imperfect knowledge of God. But he who has no idea of love has no knowledge of God, for love is himself. God alone loves in the fullest and highest sense of the word; for he alone loves with perfect disinterestedness. It is love which alone can explain creation. Why should a Being perfectly blessed in himself create other beings, but to bestow a blessing upon them?
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
He that loveth not, knoweth not God,.... If a man loves not the children of God, those that are born of him, he does not know, so as to love God, the Father of them; for to pretend love to God, the begetter of them, whom he sees not, and not love those who are begotten by him, and are visible objects of respect, is a contradiction, and cannot be reconciled: see 1 John 4:20. This clause is left out in the Ethiopic version, and is transposed in the Syriac version, which reads the text thus, "for God, is love, and whoever loveth not, knoweth not God". By which reading, the following reason stands in close connection with 1 John 4:7.
For God is love; he loves himself; there is an entire love between the three divine Persons, who are in the strictest, and in the most inconceivable and inexpressible manner affected to each other; their love is natural and essential: God loves all his creatures as such, nor does he hate any of them, as so considered; and he bears an everlasting, unchangeable, and invariable love to his elect in Christ Jesus; of which an instance is given in the following verses, and is a reason why the saints should love one another; that they might be like their heavenly Father, by whom they are begotten, and of whom they are born, and whose children they are; seeing he is love itself, and in his breast is nothing else but love. So the Shekinah is, by the Cabalistic Jews (t), called "love".
(t) Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 15. 1. & Lex. Cabal. p. 43, 44.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8. knoweth not—Greek aorist: not only knoweth not now, but never knew, has not once for all known God.
God is love—There is no Greek article to love, but to God; therefore we cannot translate, Love is God. God is fundamentally and essentially LOVE: not merely is loving, for then John's argument would not stand; for the conclusion from the premises then would be this, This man is not loving: God is loving; therefore he knoweth not God IN SO FAR AS God is loving; still he might know Him in His other attributes. But when we take love as God's essence, the argument is sound: This man doth not love, and therefore knows not love: God is essentially love, therefore he knows not God.
1 John 4:8 Additional Commentaries

Context

Love Comes from God
7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.…

Cross References

1 John 3:10
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
1 John 4:7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:16
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 them.

Treasury of Scripture

He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.

knoweth.

1 John 2:4,9 He that said, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, …

1 John 3:6 Whoever stays in him sins not: whoever sins has not seen him, neither known him.

John 8:54,55 Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my …

God is.

1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare …

Exodus 34:6,7 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The …

Psalm 86:5,15 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy …

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of …

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

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◄ Hebrews 13:2 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
New Living Translation
Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
English Standard Version
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Berean Study Bible
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Berean Literal Bible
Do not be forgetful of hospitality, for through this, some have entertained angels unawares.
New American Standard Bible
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
King James Bible
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don't neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.
International Standard Version
Stop neglecting to show hospitality to strangers, for by showing hospitality some have had angels as their guests without being aware of it.
NET Bible
Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And do not forget kindness to strangers, for by this, some who, while they were unaware, were worthy to receive Angels.
GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't forget to show hospitality to believers you don't know. By doing this some believers have shown hospitality to angels without being aware of it.
New American Standard 1977
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Jubilee Bible 2000
Do not forget to show hospitality; for thereby some, having entertained angels, were kept.
King James 2000 Bible
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
American King James Version
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
American Standard Version
Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And hospitality do not forget; for by this some, being not aware of it, have entertained angels.
Darby Bible Translation
Be not forgetful of hospitality; for by it some have unawares entertained angels.
English Revised Version
Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Webster's Bible Translation
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for by this some have entertained angels unawares.
Weymouth New Testament
Do not neglect to show kindness to strangers; for, in this way, some, without knowing it, have had angels as their guests.
World English Bible
Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Young's Literal Translation
of the hospitality be not forgetful, for through this unawares certain did entertain messengers;

Parallel Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
13:1-6 The design of Christ in giving himself for us, is, that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; and true religion is the strongest bond of friendship. Here are earnest exhortations to several Christian duties, especially contentment. The sin opposed to this grace and duty is covetousness, an over-eager desire for the wealth of this world, with envy of those who have more than ourselves. Having treasures in heaven, we may be content with mean things here. Those who cannot be so, would not be content though God raised their condition. Adam was in paradise, yet not contented; some angels in heaven were not contented; but the apostle Paul, though abased and empty, had learned in every state, in any state, to be content. Christians have reason to be contented with their present lot. This promise contains the sum and substance of all the promises; I will never, no, never leave thee, no, never forsake thee. In the original there are no less than five negatives put together, to confirm the promise: the true believer shall have the gracious presence of God with him, in life, at death, and for ever. Men can do nothing against God, and God can make all that men do against his people, to turn to their good.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 2. - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers (or, of hospitality): for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Allusions to this duty are frequent in the Epistles; its exercise would be of especial importance, in those days of persecution, towards scattered and destitute brethren as well as towards missionaries, though it by no means appears that it was meant to be confined to "them that are of the household of faith." Possibly some of the wavering Hebrew Christians might be becoming less ready to open their doors to the persecuted from fear of "reproach" in Jewish circles. The allusion of the latter part of the verse is evidently to Abraham and Lot (Genesis 18. and 19.). At any time the visits even of our fellow-men may be to us as visits of angels, as being messengers of God's purposes for good when least expected. And especially to be noted are our Lord's own words, "He that receiveth you receiveth me," etc., and "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40).
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers,.... By whom are meant, not unconverted men, who are strangers to God and Christ, and the covenants of promise; nor saints, who are as pilgrims and strangers in this world; but such as are of another country, and are unknown; and even though wicked men, they are not excluded; though such as are obliged to quit their own country for righteousness sake are chiefly designed; all strangers in distress are meant, and hospitality is to be exercised towards them; which lies negatively in doing nothing to distress them, and positively in providing food, raiment, lodging, &c. for them, and in comforting, counselling, and directing them in all matters in which they may stand in need thereof: and that this is a duty, appears from the light of nature, and practices of the Heathens, Acts 28:2, from the express law of God, Deuteronomy 10:19 and many others made in favour of strangers, binding on the Jews; from the sundry exhortations to it in the New Testament, Romans 12:13 and from the exhortation here not to forget it; and from the great regard which Christ will show to such as mind it, and his disregard to others at the last day: the persons who are to exercise it are not only the ministers of the Gospel, who should be given to hospitality; but all the saints, even the meaner sort are not exempted, but should use it according to their ability; though it is chiefly binding on those that are rich. And this should not be forgot, but pursued and followed after; it should be frequently performed; men should be given, and used to it; it should be done without grudging, and in a friendly and loving manner:
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares; as Abraham, Genesis 18:1, he knew them not to be angels at first; they appeared as men, and he treated them as such; but they were angels, yea, one of them was Jehovah himself; and hereby he received many favours, Genesis 18:10, and Lot, Genesis 19:1 who knew not that they were angels he took into his house; but they were, and he was delivered by them from the burning of Sodom; yea, some have unawares, this way, entertained Christ himself, Luke 24:15 and indeed, entertaining of his members is entertaining him, Matthew 25:38. It is an observation of a Jewish writer (r) upon the first of these instances;
"from hence we learn (says he) how great is the strength (or virtue) of the reception of travellers (or hospitality), as the Rabbins of blessed memory say, greater is , "hospitality", than the reception of the face of the Shechinah.''
And this is said to be one of the six things which a man enjoys the fruit of in this world, and for which there remains a reward in the world to come (s).

Context

Love for Brothers
1Let love of the brethren continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.…

Cross References

Genesis 18:1
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Genesis 19:1
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
Isaiah 58:7
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
Romans 12:13
Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
1 Timothy 3:2
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1 Peter 4:9
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
3 John 1:5
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you.

Treasury of Scripture

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

not.

Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger that dwells with you shall be to you as one born …

Deuteronomy 10:18,19 He does execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loves …

1 Kings 17:10-16 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of …

2 Kings 4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great …

Job 31:19,32 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering…

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the …

Matthew 25:35,43 For I was an hungered, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you …

Acts 16:15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she sought us, saying, …

Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.