1 John 4
American Standard Version
4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 and every spirit that [a]confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already. 4 Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 Herein was the love of God manifested [b]in us, that God hath 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 also ought to love one another. 12 No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us: 13 hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God. 16 And we know and have believed the love which God hath [c]in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him. 17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love, 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, [d]cannot love God whom he hath not seen. 21 And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:3 Some ancient authorities read annulleth Jesus.
- 1 John 4:9 Or, in our case
- 1 John 4:16 Or, in our case
- 1 John 4:20 Many ancient authorities read how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 4
New American Standard Bible 1995
Testing the Spirits
4 (A)Beloved, do not believe every (B)spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because (C)many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (D)every spirit that (E)confesses that (F)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that (G)does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the (H)antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and (I)now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, (J)little children, and (K)have overcome them; because (L)greater is He who is in you than (M)he who is in the world. 5 (N)They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 (O)We are from God; (P)he who knows God listens to us; (Q)he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (R)the spirit of truth and (S)the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 (T)Beloved, let us (U)love one another, for love is from God; and (V)everyone who loves is [a](W)born of God and (X)knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for (Y)God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested [b](Z)in us, that (AA)God has sent His [c]only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, (AB)not that we loved God, but that (AC)He loved us and sent His Son to be (AD)the propitiation for our sins. 11 (AE)Beloved, if God so loved us, (AF)we also ought to love one another. 12 (AG)No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His (AH)love is perfected in us. 13 (AI)By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and (AJ)testify that the Father has (AK)sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 (AL)Whoever confesses that (AM)Jesus is the Son of God, God (AN)abides in him, and he in God. 16 (AO)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [d](AP)for us. (AQ)God is love, and the one who (AR)abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, (AS)love is perfected with us, so that we may have (AT)confidence in (AU)the day of judgment; because (AV)as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but (AW)perfect love casts out fear, because fear [e]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not (AX)perfected in love. 19 (AY)We love, because He first loved us. 20 (AZ)If someone says, “I love God,” and (BA)hates his brother, he is a (BB)liar; for (BC)the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, (BD)cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And (BE)this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God (BF)should love his brother also.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:7 Or begotten
- 1 John 4:9 Or in our case
- 1 John 4:9 Or unique, only one of His kind
- 1 John 4:16 Lit in
- 1 John 4:18 Lit has
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
