1 John 4:21

21 et hoc mandatum habemus ab eo ut qui diligit Deum diligat et fratrem suum

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 nos ergo diligamus quoniam Deus prior dilexit nos

20 si quis dixerit quoniam diligo Deum et fratrem suum oderit mendax est qui enim non diligit fratrem suum quem vidit Deum quem non vidit quomodo potest diligere

21 et hoc mandatum habemus ab eo ut qui diligit Deum diligat et fratrem suum