¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends,^(A) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God^{(B) 22} and receive from him anything we ask,^(C) because we keep his commands^(D) and do what pleases him.^{(E) 23} And this is his command: to believe^(F) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(G) and to love one another as he commanded us.^{(H) 24} The one who keeps God’s commands^(I) lives in him,^(J) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(K)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(L) do not believe every spirit,^(M) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(N) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(O) is from God,^{(P) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(Q) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(R)

⁴ You, dear children,^(S) are from God and have overcome them,^(T) because the one who is in you^(U) is greater than the one who is in the world.^{(V) 5} They are from the world^(W) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(X) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[a] of truth^(Y) and the spirit of falsehood.^(Z)