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.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:19 Therefore love we God, for he before loved us/for he former loved us.
1 John 4
Authorized (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.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.