1 John 4
King James Version
4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try 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 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.
4 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.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
6 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.
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 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.
1 John 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
4 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits(A) to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has[a] come in the flesh(B) is from God.(C) 3 But every spirit who does not confess Jesus[b] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist;(D) you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you(E) is greater than the one who is in the world.(F) 5 They are from the world.(G) Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us;(H) anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.(I)
Knowing God through Love
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God(J) and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way:[c] God sent(K) His One and Only Son(L) into the world so that we might live(M) through Him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us(N) and sent His Son to be the[d] propitiation(O) for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.(P) 12 No one has ever seen God.[e](Q) If we love one another, God remains in[f] us and His love is perfected in us.
13 This is how we know that we remain in Him(R) and He in us: He has given assurance to us from His Spirit.(S) 14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son(T) as the world’s Savior. 15 Whoever confesses[g](U) that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
17 In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,(V) for we are as He is in this world.(W) 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,(X) because fear involves punishment.[h] So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.(Y) 19 We love[i] because He first loved us.(Z)
Keeping God’s Commands
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother,(AA) he is a liar.(AB) For the person who does not love his brother(AC) he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen.[j] 21 And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:2 Or confesses Jesus to be the Christ
- 1 John 4:3 Other mss read confess that Jesus has come in the flesh
- 1 John 4:9 Or revealed in us
- 1 John 4:10 Or a
- 1 John 4:12 Since God is an infinite being, no one can see Him in His absolute essential nature; Ex 33:18-23.
- 1 John 4:12 Or remains among
- 1 John 4:15 Or acknowledges
- 1 John 4:18 Or fear has its own punishment or torment
- 1 John 4:19 Other mss add Him
- 1 John 4:20 Other mss read has seen, how is he able to love . . . seen? (as a question)
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
Young's Literal Translation
4 Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;
2 in this know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that doth confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is,
3 and every spirit that doth not confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is not; and this is that of the antichrist, which ye heard that it doth come, and now in the world it is already.
4 Ye -- of God ye are, little children, and ye have overcome them; because greater is He who [is] in you, than he who is in the world.
5 They -- of the world they are; because of this from the world they speak, and the world doth hear them;
6 we -- of God we are; he who is knowing God doth hear us; he who is not of God, doth not hear us; from this we know the spirit of the truth, and the spirit of the error.
7 Beloved, may we love one another, because the love is of God, and every one who is loving, of God he hath been begotten, and doth know God;
8 he who is not loving did not know God, because God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God in us, because His Son -- the only begotten -- hath God sent to the world, that we may live through him;
10 in this is the love, not that we loved God, but that He did love us, and did send His Son a propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if thus did God love us, we also ought one another to love;
12 God no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another, God in us doth remain, and His love is having been perfected in us;
13 in this we know that in Him we do remain, and He in us, because of His Spirit He hath given us.
14 And we -- we have seen and do testify, that the Father hath sent the Son -- Saviour of the world;
15 whoever may confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God in him doth remain, and he in God;
16 and we -- we have known and believed the love, that God hath in us; God is love, and he who is remaining in the love, in God he doth remain, and God in him.
17 In this made perfect hath been the love with us, that boldness we may have in the day of the judgment, because even as He is, we -- we also are in this world;
18 fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;
19 we -- we love him, because He -- He first loved us;
20 if any one may say -- `I love God,' and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God -- whom he hath not seen -- how is he able to love?
21 and this [is] the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.
1 John 4
Revised Standard Version
Testing the Spirits
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world, therefore what they say is of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so 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 to be the expiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because he first loved us. 20 If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:20 Other ancient authorities read how can he
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