The Narrow Path Ministries

5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. - ESV

5 but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. - NRSV

5  but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. - NASB

Does the act of keeping/obeying his word perfect his love in us, or does his perfected love in us cause us to keep/obey his word?

The former concept would understand keeping his word as necessary or perhaps the last step to the perfecting of his love in us. In other words, his love will not be perfected in us until we keep his word.

The latter idea would understand his love will be perfected in us first, and that would then cause us to obey his word. Keeping his word not being necessary for his love to be perfected in us, but his love being perfected in us being necessary to enable us to keep his word. In other words, the perfecting of his love occurs in us before we keep his word, and keeping his word is the sign of his love being perfect in us.

I don't know if it's any help, but Robertson says it's in the perfect passive indicative tense, so of your 3 examples, I think the NASB's rendering would be correct.

Regarding your question, it seems to me they have to go hand in hand, i.e. you can't have one without the other.

Perhaps this verse helps clarify 1 John 2:5

Acts 5:32, New American Standard Bible (NASB)

32. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”


The Holy Spirit was given (simple act, past) to those who obey (presently, repeatedly or continuously) Him.

New International Version
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

I believe we can equate God's kindness to God's love and in this verse Paul is telling us that God's love can change us and make us obey Him.

I think God's love comes first then our obedience.

5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. - NASB

From HCSB:
4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected (truly completed). This is how we know we are in Him:
6 The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.

It seems the degree to which we keep his word is dependent on the degree to which his love is perfected/completed in us.

The more we know Christ, the more we love him; and the more we love him, the more we will keep his word.

paulespino said: I think God's love comes first then our obedience.

Definitely! God's love for us preceded our knowing, loving, and obeying. His love preceded our being.