1 John 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Testing the Spirits
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.(A) 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus[a] is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.(B) 4 Little children, you are from God and have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.(C)
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.(D) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.(E) 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.(F) 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.(G) 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.(H)
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God.(I) 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.(J) 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love[b] because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate a brother or sister are liars, for those who do not love a brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(K) 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
1 John 4
New American Standard Bible
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, which you have heard 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)The one who knows God listens to us; (Q)the one 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’s (U)love one another; for love is from God, and (V)everyone who loves has been (W)born of God and (X)knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because (Y)God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed [a](Z)in us, that (AA)God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may 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 [b]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 ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His (AH)love is perfected in us. 13 (AI)By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to 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)remains in him, and he in God. 16 (AO)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [c](AP)for us. (AQ)God is love, and the one who (AR)remains in love remains in God, and God remains 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, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but (AW)perfect love drives out fear, because fear [d]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 yet he (BA)hates his brother or sister, he is a (BB)liar; for (BC)the one who does not love his brother and sister 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)must also love his brother and sister.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:9 Or among us; or in our case
- 1 John 4:10 I.e., means of reconciliation with God by atoning for sins; or sin-offering
- 1 John 4:16 Lit in
- 1 John 4:18 Lit has
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
