OET interlinear 1YHN (1JHN) 4:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν, οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν Θεόν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

the_‹one› not loving not knew ¬the God because ¬the God love is

If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “Since God is love, the one who does not love does not know God”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν Θεόν

not knew ¬the God

As in 2:4, John is using the word know in a specific sense. See how you translated it there. Alternate translation: “does not have a close relationship with God”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

the_‹one› ¬the God love is

This is a metaphor that describes what God is like in his character. Alternate translation: “God is entirely loving”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν

the_‹one› ¬the God love is

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun love with an adjective such as “loving.” Alternate translation: “God is entirely loving”