靈的分辨

親愛的弟兄姊妹,不要什麼靈都信,總要試驗那些靈是否出於上帝,因為世上已經出現了許多假先知! 任何靈若承認耶穌基督曾降世為人,就是從上帝來的,你們可以憑這一點認出上帝的靈。 任何靈若不承認耶穌,就不是從上帝來的,而是敵基督者的靈。以前你們聽說敵基督者要來,現在他已經在世上了。

孩子們,你們屬於上帝,你們已經勝過了那些假先知,因為在你們裡面的聖靈比在世上運行的邪靈更有能力。 他們屬於世界,所以他們談論的都是世俗的事,世人也聽從他們。 我們屬於上帝,認識上帝的人聽從我們,不屬於上帝的人不聽從我們。這樣,我們就可以分辨真理的靈和錯謬的靈。

上帝是愛

親愛的弟兄姊妹,我們應當彼此相愛,因為愛是從上帝來的。凡有愛心的人都是從上帝生的,並且認識上帝。 沒有愛心的人不認識上帝,因為上帝就是愛。 上帝差遣祂獨一的兒子到世上來,是為了叫我們靠著祂得到生命。這就顯明了上帝對我們的愛。 10 不是我們愛上帝,而是上帝愛我們,並且差遣祂兒子為我們的罪作了贖罪祭,這就是愛。

11 親愛的弟兄姊妹,上帝既然這樣愛我們,我們也應該彼此相愛。 12 從來沒有人見過上帝,如果我們彼此相愛,上帝就住在我們裡面,祂的愛就在我們裡面得到成全。

13 上帝將祂的靈賜給了我們,所以我們知道自己住在祂裡面,祂也住在我們裡面。 14 我們看見過,現在做見證:父差遣了祂的兒子成為世人的救主。 15 無論是誰,他若承認耶穌是上帝的兒子,上帝必住在他裡面,他也住在上帝裡面。 16 我們已經認識並且相信了上帝對我們的愛。

上帝就是愛,住在愛中的,就是住在上帝裡面,上帝也住在他裡面。 17 這樣,愛在我們裡面得到成全,使我們在審判的日子可以坦然無懼,因為我們在這世上以基督為榜樣。 18 愛裡沒有恐懼,純全的愛能驅除恐懼,因為恐懼意味著怕受懲罰。人若心裡恐懼,就表示他尚未明白那純全的愛。

19 我們愛,因為上帝先愛了我們。 20 若有人說「我愛上帝」,卻恨自己的弟兄姊妹,這人就是說謊話,因為人若不愛看得見的弟兄姊妹,又怎能愛看不見的上帝呢? 21 愛上帝的人也應該愛弟兄姊妹,這是上帝給我們的命令。

αγαπητοι μη παντι πνευματι πιστευετε αλλα δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα ει εκ του θεου εστιν οτι πολλοι ψευδοπροφηται εξεληλυθασιν εις τον κοσμον

εν τουτω γινωσκετε το πνευμα του θεου παν πνευμα ο ομολογει ιησουν χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα εκ του θεου εστιν

και παν πνευμα ο μη ομολογει τον ιησουν χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα εκ του θεου ουκ εστιν και τουτο εστιν το του αντιχριστου ο ακηκοατε οτι ερχεται και νυν εν τω κοσμω εστιν ηδη

υμεις εκ του θεου εστε τεκνια και νενικηκατε αυτους οτι μειζων εστιν ο εν υμιν η ο εν τω κοσμω

αυτοι εκ του κοσμου εισιν δια τουτο εκ του κοσμου λαλουσιν και ο κοσμος αυτων ακουει

ημεις εκ του θεου εσμεν ο γινωσκων τον θεον ακουει ημων ος ουκ εστιν εκ του θεου ουκ ακουει ημων εκ τουτου γινωσκομεν το πνευμα της αληθειας και το πνευμα της πλανης

αγαπητοι αγαπωμεν αλληλους οτι η αγαπη εκ του θεου εστιν και πας ο αγαπων εκ του θεου γεγεννηται και γινωσκει τον θεον

ο μη αγαπων ουκ εγνω τον θεον οτι ο θεος αγαπη εστιν

εν τουτω εφανερωθη η αγαπη του θεου εν ημιν οτι τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη απεσταλκεν ο θεος εις τον κοσμον ινα ζησωμεν δι αυτου

10 εν τουτω εστιν η αγαπη ουχ οτι ημεις ηγαπησαμεν τον θεον αλλ οτι αυτος ηγαπησεν ημας και απεστειλεν τον υιον αυτου ιλασμον περι των αμαρτιων ημων

11 αγαπητοι ει ουτως ο θεος ηγαπησεν ημας και ημεις οφειλομεν αλληλους αγαπαν

12 θεον ουδεις πωποτε τεθεαται εαν αγαπωμεν αλληλους ο θεος εν ημιν μενει και η αγαπη αυτου τετελειωμενη εστιν εν ημιν

13 εν τουτω γινωσκομεν οτι εν αυτω μενομεν και αυτος εν ημιν οτι εκ του πνευματος αυτου δεδωκεν ημιν

14 και ημεις τεθεαμεθα και μαρτυρουμεν οτι ο πατηρ απεσταλκεν τον υιον σωτηρα του κοσμου

15 ος αν ομολογηση οτι ιησους εστιν ο υιος του θεου ο θεος εν αυτω μενει και αυτος εν τω θεω

16 και ημεις εγνωκαμεν και πεπιστευκαμεν την αγαπην ην εχει ο θεος εν ημιν ο θεος αγαπη εστιν και ο μενων εν τη αγαπη εν τω θεω μενει και ο θεος εν αυτω

17 εν τουτω τετελειωται η αγαπη μεθ ημων ινα παρρησιαν εχωμεν εν τη ημερα της κρισεως οτι καθως εκεινος εστιν και ημεις εσμεν εν τω κοσμω τουτω

18 φοβος ουκ εστιν εν τη αγαπη αλλ η τελεια αγαπη εξω βαλλει τον φοβον οτι ο φοβος κολασιν εχει ο δε φοβουμενος ου τετελειωται εν τη αγαπη

19 ημεις αγαπωμεν αυτον οτι αυτος πρωτος ηγαπησεν ημας

20 εαν τις ειπη οτι αγαπω τον θεον και τον αδελφον αυτου μιση ψευστης εστιν ο γαρ μη αγαπων τον αδελφον αυτου ον εωρακεν τον θεον ον ουχ εωρακεν πως δυναται αγαπαν

21 και ταυτην την εντολην εχομεν απ αυτου ινα ο αγαπων τον θεον αγαπα και τον αδελφον αυτου

On Denying the Incarnation

Dear friends,(A) do not believe every spirit,(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(C) This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(D) is from God,(E) but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(G)

You, dear children,(H) are from God and have overcome them,(I) because the one who is in you(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.(K) They are from the world(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth(N) and the spirit of falsehood.(O)

God’s Love and Ours

Dear friends, let us love one another,(P) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(Q) and knows God.(R) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(S) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(T) into the world that we might live through him.(U) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(V) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(W) 11 Dear friends,(X) since God so loved us,(Y) we also ought to love one another.(Z) 12 No one has ever seen God;(AA) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(AB)

13 This is how we know(AC) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(AD) 14 And we have seen and testify(AE) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(AF) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(AG) God lives in them and they in God.(AH) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.(AI) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(AJ) 17 This is how love is made complete(AK) among us so that we will have confidence(AL) on the day of judgment:(AM) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(AN) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.(AO) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(AP) is a liar.(AQ) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(AR) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(AS) 21 And he has given us this command:(AT) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 4:6 Or spirit

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 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.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.