Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Print Page Options
Close NLT

1 John 4
New Living Translation

Discerning False Prophets

4 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet[a] acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

Loving One Another

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other[b] because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer,[c] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.[d]

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 Greek If a spirit; similarly in 4:3.
  2. 4:19 Greek We love. Other manuscripts read We love God; still others read We love him.
  3. 4:20 Greek hates his brother.
  4. 4:21 Greek The one who loves God must also love his brother.
Listen to 1 John 4
Close HCSB

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. 1 John 4:2 Or confesses Jesus to be the Christ
  2. 1 John 4:3 Other mss read confess that Jesus has come in the flesh
  3. 1 John 4:9 Or revealed in us
  4. 1 John 4:10 Or a
  5. 1 John 4:12 Since God is an infinite being, no one can see Him in His absolute essential nature; Ex 33:18-23.
  6. 1 John 4:12 Or remains among
  7. 1 John 4:15 Or acknowledges
  8. 1 John 4:18 Or fear has its own punishment or torment
  9. 1 John 4:19 Other mss add Him
  10. 1 John 4:20 Other mss read has seen, how is he able to love . . . seen? (as a question)
Listen to 1 John 4
Close ESV

1 John 4
English Standard Version

Test the Spirits

4 Beloved, (A)do not believe every spirit, but (B)test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for (C)many (D)false prophets (E)have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (F)every spirit that confesses that (G)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit (H)that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and (I)now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for (J)he who is in you is greater than (K)he who is in the world. 5 (L)They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and (M)the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. (N)Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (O)the Spirit of truth and (P)the spirit of error.

God Is Love

7 Beloved, (Q)let us love one another, for love is from God, and (R)whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 (S)Anyone who does not love does not know God, because (T)God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that (U)God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, (V)not that we have loved God (W)but that he loved us and sent his Son to be (X)the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 (Y)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and (Z)his love is perfected in us.

13 (AA)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And (AB)we have seen and testify that (AC)the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of (AD)the world. 15 (AE)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So (AF)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. (AG)God is love, and (AH)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this (AI)is love perfected with us, so that (AJ)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because (AK)as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but (AL)perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not (AM)been perfected in love. 19 (AN)We love because he first loved us. 20 (AO)If anyone says, “I love God,” and (AP)hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God (AQ)whom he has not seen. 21 And (AR)this commandment we have from him: (AS)whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 4:20 Some manuscripts how can he
Listen to 1 John 4
Close NIV

1 John 4
New International Version

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,(A) do not believe every spirit,(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(C) 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(D) is from God,(E) 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(G)

4 You, dear children,(H) are from God and have overcome them,(I) because the one who is in you(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.(K) 5 They are from the world(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth(N) and the spirit of falsehood.(O)

God’s Love and Ours

7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(P) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(Q) and knows God.(R) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(S) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(T) into the world that we might live through him.(U) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(V) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(W) 11 Dear friends,(X) since God so loved us,(Y) we also ought to love one another.(Z) 12 No one has ever seen God;(AA) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(AB)

13 This is how we know(AC) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(AD) 14 And we have seen and testify(AE) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(AF) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(AG) God lives in them and they in God.(AH) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.(AI) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(AJ) 17 This is how love is made complete(AK) among us so that we will have confidence(AL) on the day of judgment:(AM) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(AN) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.(AO) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(AP) is a liar.(AQ) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(AR) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(AS) 21 And he has given us this command:(AT) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 4:6 Or spirit
Close MOUNCE

1 John 4
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament

4 Dear friends agapētos, do pisteuō not mē 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. 2 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, 3 but kai every pas spirit pneuma that hos does not mē 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. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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.

7 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. 8 The ho person who does not mē love agapaō does not ou know ginōskō · ho God theos, because hoti · ho God theos is eimi love agapē. 9 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 mē 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.

Next
1 John 3
1 John 5
Next
dropdown
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

ESV Study Bible
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament (MOUNCE)

The Mounce Reverse Interlinear™ New Testament (MOUNCE) Copyright © 2011 by William D. Mounce. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“Reverse Interlinear” is a trademark of William D. Mounce.

Want more from Bible study? It's easy to learn a little Greek. Teknia.com