1 John 4:21

21 The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love others also.

1 John 4:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 John 4:21

And this commandment have we from him
Either "from God", as the Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read; and that to love the brethren is a commandment of God, is clear from ( 1 John 3:23 ) ; or from Christ, for it is also a command of his, even his new commandment, which he has given, and his people have received from him:

that he who loveth God, love his brother also;
see ( John 13:34 ) ( John 15:12 John 15:17 ) ; which is an argument persuading to attend to the one as well as to the other; for the same command that requires the one, requires the other: and he that transgresses it in one case, is a transgressor of it, as well as in the other.

1 John 4:21 In-Context

19 We love because God first loved us.
20 If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen.
21 The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love others also.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.