Stilling Waves Bible 1 John 4

1 John 4:18 KJV

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.King James Version
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The same verse in modern English

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.1 John 4:18, World English Bible (WEB)

1 John 4:18 in the WEB, with its own quiet pause

Sitting with this verse

John has just spoken of confidence on the day of judgment, and this verse explains why. Fear and love cannot share the same room for long; mature, complete love pushes fear out. The KJV says fear “hath torment”; the WEB says it involves punishment, the dread of a penalty still ahead. Love answers that dread. Let yourself rest, for a moment, in being loved rather than merely evaluated.

Older words in this verse

hath
has
-eth (casteth, feareth)
the old way of writing -s: maketh means makes, leadeth means leads

From 1 John 4

Love does not begin with us; God loved first. Let that settle. What fear might loosen its grip if you let yourself be loved that completely?

Read 1 John 4 slowly

The reading prompts in this Bible use the wording of the World English Bible.

Stilling Waves also makes devotional journals for a few honest minutes with God each day.

More from 1 John 4 in the KJV: 1 John 4:7 1 John 4:8 1 John 4:9 1 John 4:10 1 John 4:11 1 John 4:12 1 John 4:13 1 John 4:14 1 John 4:15 1 John 4:16 all KJV verses

Scripture: King James Version (1769 text), from eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society; public domain outside the United Kingdom, and in the United Kingdom under Crown patent, administered by Cambridge University Press. About the KJV here.