1 John 4

Wycliffe Bible

4 Most dear brethren, do not ye believe to each spirit, but prove ye the spirits, if they be of God; for many false prophets went out into the world.

² In this thing the Spirit of God is known; each spirit that acknowledgeth that Jesus Christ hath come in flesh, is of God;

³ and each spirit that undoeth Jesus, is not of God. And this is antichrist, of whom ye have heard, that he cometh; and right now he is in the world.

⁴ Ye, little sons, be of God, and ye have overcome him; for he that is in you is more, than he that is in the world.

⁵ They be of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the world heareth them.

⁶ We be of God; he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. In this thing we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⁷ Most dear brethren, love we together, for charity is of God; and each that loveth his brother, is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸ He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is charity.

⁹ In this thing the charity of God appeared in us, for God sent his one begotten Son into the world, that we live by him.

¹⁰ In this thing is charity, not as we had loved God, but for he first loved us, and sent his Son forgiveness for our sins [and sent his Son helping for our sins].

¹¹ Ye most dear brethren, if God loved us, [and] we owe to love each other.

¹² No man saw ever God; if we love together, God dwelleth in us, and the charity of him is perfect in us.

¹³ In this thing we know, that we dwell in him, and he in us; for of his Spirit he gave to us.

¹⁴ And we saw, and witness, that the Father sent his Son Saviour of the world.

¹⁵ Whoever acknowledgeth [Who-ever shall acknowledge], that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

¹⁶ And we have known, and believe to the charity, that God hath in us. God is charity, and he that dwelleth in charity, dwelleth in God, and God in him.

¹⁷ In this thing is the perfect charity of God with us [In this thing is the perfect charity of God in us], that we have trust in the day of doom; for as he is, also we be in this world.

¹⁸ Dread is not in charity, but perfect charity putteth out dread [but perfect charity sendeth out dread]; for dread hath pain. But he that dreadeth, is not perfect in charity.

¹⁹ Therefore love we God, for he loved us before.^[a]

²⁰ If any man saith, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how may he love God, whom he seeth not?

²¹ And we have this commandment of God, that he that loveth God, love also his brother.