1 John 4:18

Fear (pobo). Like a bond-slave ( Romans 8:15 ), not the reverence of a son (eulabeia, Hebrews 5:7 ) or the obedience to a father (en pobwi, 1 Peter 1:17 ). This kind of dread is the opposite of parrhsia (boldness). Perfect love (h teleia agaph). There is such a thing, perfect because it has been perfected (verses 1 Peter 12 17 ). Cf. James 1:4 . Casteth out fear (exw ballei ton pobon). "Drives fear out" so that it does not exist in real love. See ekballw exw in John 6:37 ; John 9:34 ; John 12:31 ; John 15:6 to turn out-of-doors, a powerful metaphor. Perfect love harbours no suspicion and no dread (1Co 13). Hath punishment (kolasin ecei). Old word, in N.T. only here and Matthew 25:46 . Timwria has only the idea of penalty, kolasi has also that of discipline, while paideia has that of chastisement ( Hebrews 12:7 ). The one who still dreads (poboumeno) has not been made perfect in love (ou teteleiwtai). Bengel graphically describes different types of men: "sine timore et amore; cum timore sine amore; cum timore et amore; sine timore cum amore."