The Meaning of 1 John 4:18 Explained

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.

YLT: fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;

Darby: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has torment, and he that fears has not been made perfect in love.

ASV: There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 John 4:18 Mean?

Study Notes

perfect
.
The word implies full development, growth into maturity of godliness, not sinless perfection. Ephesians 4:12 ; Ephesians 4:13 . In this passage the Father's kindness, not His sinlessness, is the point in question. Luke 6:35 ; Luke 6:36

Verse Meaning

When we love others we have no basis for fear as we anticipate the judgment seat of Christ (cf. Romans 8:15; Hebrews 2:15). The person who loves Isaiah , of course, the person over whom God is exercising His controlling influence (i.e, an abiding Christian). A believer who does not love others feels guilty and fears meeting his Judges , perhaps subconsciously if not consciously. This fear is a punishment. His guilty conscience punishes him. A Christian who loves others may have other fears, but he need not fear the judgment seat of Christ. The fact that he loves others demonstrates that his relationship with God is essentially what it should be.
John was using love for God and other people here as he did elsewhere in this epistle (e.g, 1 John 2:3-11). He meant that it is the most important manifestation of a proper relationship with God, not the only manifestation.
On the human level only total acceptance of another person will remove the fear in love. For example, in marriage a love relationship that is free of fear is one in which there is a commitment to demonstrate total acceptance of the mate. Total forgiveness is also necessary for a transparent relationship ( Ephesians 4:31-32).

Context Summary

1 John 4:12-21 - The Test Of Our Love
If we are willing to be channels through which God's love flows to others, there need be no limit to the fullness of that holy current. In humility, selflessness, and gentleness, it will become perfected. The vessel placed beneath the waterfall is filled to overflowing.
Through our Savior we know the Father who sent Him, 1 John 4:14. See John 14:9-10. We first venture on God's love by faith; afterward we know it. Dare to affirm that God is love. Love is the wafted fragrance of Paradise. If thou lovest, heaven and earth will answer thee in terms of love. By strong, patient, selfless love thou wilt abide in unbroken touch with all pure and loving souls-whoever and wherever. Where love was crucified there was a garden. Where there is love, lonely places blossom as the rose. Be not afraid! Love on! Love always! "This is the true God, and eternal life." But one thought of hatred or ill-will will cause thy wholly happy experience to vanish. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 John 4

1  He warns them not to believe all who boast of the Spirit;
7  and exhorts to brotherly love

Greek Commentary for 1 John 4:18

Fear [ποβος]
Like a bond-slave (Romans 8:15), not the reverence of a son This kind of dread is the opposite of παρρησια — parrēsia (boldness). [source]
Perfect love [η τελεια αγαπη]
There is such a thing, perfect because it has been perfected (1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:17). Cf. James 1:4.Casteth out fear (εχω βαλλει τον ποβον — exō ballei ton phobon). “Drives fear out” so that it does not exist in real love. See εκβαλλω εχω — ekballō exō 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 (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).Hath punishment Old word, in N.T. only here and Matthew 25:46. Τιμωρια — Timōria has only the idea of penalty, κολασις — kolasis has also that of discipline, while παιδεια — paideia has that of chastisement (Hebrews 12:7). The one who still dreads Bengel graphically describes different types of men: “sine timore et amore; cum timore sine amore; cum timore et amore; sine timore cum amore ” [source]
Casteth out fear [εχω βαλλει τον ποβον]
“Drives fear out” so that it does not exist in real love. See εκβαλλω εχω — ekballō exō 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 (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). [source]
Hath punishment [κολασιν εχει]
Old word, in N.T. only here and Matthew 25:46. Τιμωρια — Timōria has only the idea of penalty, κολασις — kolasis has also that of discipline, while παιδεια — paideia has that of chastisement (Hebrews 12:7). The one who still dreads Bengel graphically describes different types of men: “sine timore et amore; cum timore sine amore; cum timore et amore; sine timore cum amore ” [source]
There is no fear in love [φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ]
Lit., fear is not. It has no existence. The fear is that spoken of in 1 Peter 1:17; Hebrews 12:28; godly fear; filial reverence; not slavish fear, as Romans 8:15. In love, lit., the love, that perfected love of which John has been speaking. [source]
Perfect [τελεία]
Not perfected, as 1 John 4:17but perfect as the result of having been perfected. Compare Hebrews 5:14; James 1:4; James 3:2. [source]
Casteth out [ἔξω βάλλει]
A strong expression: turneth out of doors. Fear is cast out of the sphere of the fellowship of love. See the phrase in John 6:37; John 9:34, John 9:35; John 12:31; John 15:6. [source]
Hath torment [κόλασιν ἔχει]
Torment is a faulty translation. The word means punishment, penalty. It occurs in the New Testament only here and Matthew 25:46. The kindred verb, κολάζομαι topunish, is found Acts 4:21; 2 Peter 2:9. Note the present tense, hath. The punishment is present. Fear by anticipating punishment has it even now. The phrase hath punishment (see on John 16:22) indicates that the punishment is inherent in the fear. Fear carries its own punishment. Augustine, commenting on the expulsion of fear by love, says: “As in sewing, we see the thread passed through by the needle. The needle is first pushed in, but the thread cannot be introduced until the needle is brought out. So fear first occupies the mind, but does not remain permanently, because it entered for the purpose of introducing love.” The words because fear hath punishment are parenthetical. [source]
He that feareth []
The A.V. omits and ( δὲ ), which is important as closely connecting this clause with there is no fear in love, etc. That is an abstract statement; this is personal; two modes of stating the same truth. Rev. “and he that feareth.” [source]
Is not made perfect []
“Men's condition is varied; without fear and love; with fear without love; with fear and love; without fear with love” (Bengel). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 John 4:18

2 Timothy 1:7 Of power [αγαπης]
One of Paul‘s characteristic words (Romans 1:16). Of love (σωπρονισμου — agapēs). One of the gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). “Which drives out fear” (Lock) as in 1 John 4:18. Of discipline Late Koiné{[28928]}š word (from σωπροσυνη — sōphronizō to control), self-control, here only in N.T. See note on 1 Timothy 2:9 for sōphrosunē sa120 [source]
2 Timothy 1:7 Of love [σωπρονισμου]
One of the gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). “Which drives out fear” (Lock) as in 1 John 4:18. [source]
James 2:22 Wrought with [συνηργει]
Imperfect active of συνεργεω — sunergeō old verb for which see Romans 8:28. Followed by associative-instrumental case εργοις — ergois Faith cooperated with the deed of offering up Isaac.Was made perfect (ετελειωτη — eteleiōthē). First aorist passive indicative of τελειοω — teleioō to carry to the end, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. See James 1:4 for τελειον εργον — teleion ergon f0). [source]
James 2:22 Was made perfect [ετελειωτη]
First aorist passive indicative of τελειοω — teleioō to carry to the end, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. See James 1:4 for τελειον εργον — teleion ergon f0). [source]
1 John 4:17 Herein [ἐν τούτῳ]
To what does this refer? Two explanations are given. (1.) To the following that we may have boldness. So Huther, who argues thus on the ground that 1 John 4:18shows that the drift of the writer's thought is toward the fearlessness of love. According to this, therefore, love has its fulfillment in freeing us from fear, and inspiring us with boldness even in view of the final judgment. (2.) To what precedes, viz., our dwelling in God and He in us. So Westcott: “The fellowship of God with man and of man with God, carries with it the consummation of love.” I prefer the latter, principally on the ground that in such phrases as ἐν τούτῳ inthis, διὰ τοῦτο onthis account, therefore, the pronoun usually refers to something preceding, though more fully developed in what follows. See John 5:16, John 5:18; John 6:65; John 8:47; John 10:17; John 12:18; John 16:15. [source]
1 John 4:12 If we love one another [εαν αγαπωμεν αλληλους]
Third-class condition with εαν — ean and the present active subjunctive, “if we keep on loving one another.”God abideth in us (ο τεος εν ημιν μενει — ho theos en hēmin menei). Else we cannot go on loving one another.His love More than merely subjective or objective (1 John 2:5; 1 John 4:9). “Mutual love is a sign of the indwelling of God in men” (Brooke).Is perfected (τετελειωμενη εστιν — teteleiōmenē estin). Periphrastic (see usual form τετελειωται — teteleiōtai in 1 John 2:5; 1 John 4:17) perfect passive indicative of τελειοω — teleioō (cf. 1 John 1:4). See 1 John 4:18 for “perfect love.” [source]
1 John 4:12 His love [η αγαπη αυτου]
More than merely subjective or objective (1 John 2:5; 1 John 4:9). “Mutual love is a sign of the indwelling of God in men” (Brooke).Is perfected (τετελειωμενη εστιν — teteleiōmenē estin). Periphrastic (see usual form τετελειωται — teteleiōtai in 1 John 2:5; 1 John 4:17) perfect passive indicative of τελειοω — teleioō (cf. 1 John 1:4). See 1 John 4:18 for “perfect love.” [source]
1 John 4:12 Is perfected [τετελειωμενη εστιν]
Periphrastic (see usual form τετελειωται — teteleiōtai in 1 John 2:5; 1 John 4:17) perfect passive indicative of τελειοω — teleioō (cf. 1 John 1:4). See 1 John 4:18 for “perfect love.” [source]

What do the individual words in 1 John 4:18 mean?

Fear no there is in - love but - perfect love out casts - fear because the punishment has the [one] now fearing not has been perfected
Φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἀλλ’ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον ὅτι κόλασιν ἔχει δὲ φοβούμενος οὐ τετελείωται

Φόβος  Fear 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φόβος  
Sense: fear, dread, terror.
οὐκ  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
ἔστιν  there  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀγάπῃ  love 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀγάπη  
Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τελεία  perfect 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: τέλειος  
Sense: brought to its end, finished.
ἀγάπη  love 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀγάπη  
Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.
ἔξω  out 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἔξω  
Sense: without, out of doors.
βάλλει  casts 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: βάλλω 
Sense: to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
φόβον  fear 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: φόβος  
Sense: fear, dread, terror.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
κόλασιν  punishment 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κόλασις  
Sense: correction, punishment, penalty.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
φοβούμενος  fearing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
τετελείωται  has  been  perfected 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: τελειόω  
Sense: to make perfect, complete.