4
1 Beloved, don’t
believe every
spirit, but test
the spirits,
whether they are
of God, because
many false
prophets have gone
out into the
world.
2 By
this you know
the Spirit of
God: every spirit
who confesses that
Jesus Christ has
come in the
flesh is of
God,
3 and
every spirit
who doesn’t
confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh
is not of
God; and this
is the spirit
of the Antichrist,
of whom you
have heard that it
comes. Now it
is in the
world already.
4 You
are of God,
little children,
and have overcome
them, because
greater is he
who is in
you than he
who is in
the world.
5 They
are of the
world. Therefore
they speak of
the world, and
the world hears
them.
6 We
are of God.
He who knows
God listens to us.
He who is
not of God doesn’t
listen to us. By
this we know
the spirit
of truth, and the
spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let’s
love one another,
for love is of
God; and everyone
who loves has been
born of God
and knows God.
8 He
who doesn’t love doesn’t
know God, for
God is love.
9 By
this God’s love
was revealed in
us, that God
has sent his
only born
Son into the
world that we
might live through
him.
10 In
this is love, not
that we loved God,
but that he loved
us, and sent
his Son as
the atoning sacrifice
for our sins.
11 Beloved, if
God loved us in
this way, we
also ought to love
one another.
12 No
one has seen
God at any
time. If we love
one another, God
remains in us,
and his love has
been perfected in
us.
13 By
this we know
that we remain
in him and
he in us,
because he has
given us of
his Spirit.
14 We
have seen and
testify that the
Father has sent
the Son as
the Savior of
the world.
15 Whoever
confesses that
Jesus is the
Son of God,
God remains in
him, and he
in God.
16 We
know and have
believed the love
which God has
for us. God
is love, and he
who remains in love
remains in God,
and God remains
in him.
17 In
this, love has
been made perfect
among us, that
we may have
boldness in the
day of judgment,
because as he
is, even so
we are in
this world.
18 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.
19 We love
him,
because he
first loved us.
20 If
a man says, “I
love God,” and
hates his brother,
he is a
liar; for he
who doesn’t love
his brother whom
he has seen,
how can he love
God whom he
has not seen?
21 This
commandment we
have from him,
that he who loves
God should
also love his brother.