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Dear friends agapētos, do pisteuō not believe pisteuō every pas spirit pneuma, but alla test dokimazō the ho spirits pneuma to find out whether ei they are eimi from ek · ho God theos, because hoti many polys false prophets pseudoprophētēs have gone out exerchomai into eis the ho world kosmos. This is how en you can recognize ginōskō the ho Spirit pneuma of ho God theos: every pas spirit pneuma that hos confesses homologeō that Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos has come erchomai in en the flesh sarx is eimi from ek · ho God theos, but kai every pas spirit pneuma that hos does not confess homologeō · ho Jesus Iēsous is eimi not ou from ek · ho God theos. · kai This houtos is eimi the ho spirit of the ho Antichrist antichristos, which hos you heard akouō was coming erchomai, and kai now nyn is eimi already ēdē in en the ho world kosmos. Little children teknion, you hymeis have been born eimi of ek · ho God theos and kai have overcome nikaō them autos, because hoti the ho one who is in en you hymeis is eimi greater megas than ē the ho one who is in en the ho world kosmos. They autos are eimi of ek the ho world kosmos; therefore dia houtos they speak laleō from ek the ho world’ s kosmos perspective and kai the ho world kosmos listens to akouō them autos. We hēmeis are eimi from ek · ho God theos. The ho person who knows ginōskō · ho God theos listens akouō to us hēmeis, but whoever hos is eimi not ou from ek · ho God theos does not ou listen akouō to us hēmeis. By ek this houtos we know ginōskō the ho Spirit pneuma of ho truth alētheia and kai the ho spirit pneuma of ho error planē.

Dear friends agapētos, let us love agapaō one another allēlōn, because hoti · ho love agapē is eimi from ek · ho God theos, and kai everyone pas who ho loves agapaō has been born gennaō of ek · ho God theos and kai knows ginōskō · ho God theos. The ho person who does not love agapaō does not ou know ginōskō · ho God theos, because hoti · ho God theos is eimi love agapē. By en this houtos the ho love agapē of ho God theos is revealed phaneroō to en us hēmeis: that hoti God theos has sent apostellō · ho his autos one and only monogenēs Son hyios · ho · ho into eis the ho world kosmos so that hina we might live zaō through dia him autos. 10 In en this houtos is eimi · ho love agapē, not ou that hoti we hēmeis have loved agapaō · ho God theos but alla that hoti he autos loved agapaō us hēmeis and kai sent apostellō · ho his autos Son hyios as a propitiation hilasmos for peri · ho our hēmeis sins hamartia. 11 Dear friends agapētos, if ei God theos loved agapaō us hēmeis like that houtōs, · ho we hēmeis also kai ought opheilō to love agapaō one another allēlōn. 12 No one oudeis has ever pōpote seen theaomai God theos. If ean we love agapaō one another allēlōn, · ho God theos abides menō in en us hēmeis, and kai · ho his autos love agapē has eimi achieved its goal teleioō in en us hēmeis.

13 By en this houtos we know ginōskō that hoti we abide menō in en God autos and kai he autos in en us hēmeis: because hoti he has given didōmi us hēmeis of ek · ho his autos Spirit pneuma. 14 And kai we hēmeis have seen theaomai and kai testify martyreō that hoti the ho Father patēr has sent apostellō his ho Son hyios as the Savior sōtēr of the ho world kosmos. 15 If ean anyone hos confesses homologeō that hoti Jesus Iēsous is eimi the ho Son hyios of ho God theos, · ho God theos abides menō in en him autos and kai he autos in en · ho God theos. 16 And kai we hēmeis have come to know ginōskō and kai to trust pisteuō the ho love agapē that hos God theos has echō · ho for en us hēmeis. · ho God theos is eimi love agapē, and kai the ho one who abides menō in en · ho love agapē abides menō in en · ho God theos, and kai · ho God theos abides menō in en him autos. 17 By en this houtos, love agapē is fully realized teleioō · ho among meta us hēmeis, so that hina we may have echō confidence parrēsia in en the ho day hēmera of ho judgment krisis; because hoti just as kathōs he ekeinos is eimi, so also kai are eimi we hēmeis in en · ho this houtos world kosmos. 18 There is eimi no ou fear phobos in en · ho love agapē, but alla · ho perfect teleios love agapē drives ballō out exō · ho fear phobos because hoti · ho fear phobos has to do with echō punishment kolasis. So de the ho one who fears phobeomai has not ou been perfected teleioō in en · ho love agapē. 19 We hēmeis love agapaō because hoti he autos first prōtos loved agapaō us hēmeis. 20 If ean someone tis says legō, “ I love agapaō · ho God theos,” yet kai hates miseō · ho his autos brother adelphos, he is eimi a liar pseustēs; for gar the ho one who does not love agapaō · ho his autos brother adelphos whom hos he has seen horaō, cannot ou love agapaō · ho God theos whom hos he has not ou seen horaō. 21 And kai the ho commandment entolē we have echō from apo him autos is this houtos: the ho one who loves agapaō · ho God theos must also kai love agapaō · ho his autos brother adelphos.

Testing the Spirits

Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world. By this you know and recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ has [actually] come in the flesh [as a man] is from God [God is its source]; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus [acknowledging that He has come in the flesh, but would deny any of the Son’s true nature] is not of God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world. Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind]. They [who teach twisted doctrine] are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the [viewpoint of the] world [with its immoral freedom and baseless theories—demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright], and the [gullible one of the] world listens closely and pays attention to them. We [who teach God’s word] are from God [energized by the Holy Spirit], and whoever knows God [through personal experience] listens to us [and has a deeper understanding of Him]. Whoever is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know [without any doubt] the spirit of truth [motivated by God] and the spirit of error [motivated by Satan].

God Is Love

Beloved, let us [unselfishly] [a]love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.] By this the love of God was displayed in us, in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind] 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 propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath]. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us [in this incredible way], we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us. 13 By this we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His [Holy] Spirit. 14 We [who were with Him in person] have seen and testify [as eye-witnesses] that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. 17 In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]. 19 We love, because [b]He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should also [unselfishly] love his brother and seek the best for him.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 4:7 See note 2:10.
  2. 1 John 4:19 Because God bestowed on humanity a free will, man is not forced to love Him, but rather consciously and freely chooses the response he makes to God’s love.