1 John 4:16

16 And we have known and believed the charity that God has in us. God is charity, and he that abides in charity abides in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 John 4:16

And we have known and believed
Or have a full assurance and knowledge of, and faith in,

the love that God hath to us;
shown as in many instances, so more especially in sending his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, to be the Saviour of us, and that we might live through him.

God is love; (See Gill on 1 John 4:8):

and he that dwelleth in love;
who dwells by faith upon the love of God as displayed in Christ, and abides in the exercise of love to God and to the saints:

dwelleth in God, and God in him; (See Gill on 1 John 4:13); the last clause, "and God in him", is left out in the Syriac version.

1 John 4:16 In-Context

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the charity that God has in us. God is charity, and he that abides in charity abides in God, and God in him.

17 In this the charity with us is made perfect, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, that as he is, so are we in this world.

18 In charity there is no fear; but charity that is perfect casts out fear; because fear has torment; from which he that fears is not complete in charity.