1 John 3:19-4:6

English Standard Version

¹⁹ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹ Beloved, ^(A)if our heart does not condemn us, ^(B)we have confidence before God; ²² and ^(C)whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and ^(D)do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his commandment, ^(E)that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and ^(F)love one another, ^(G)just as he has commanded us. ^24 (H)Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,^[a] and God^[b] in him. And ^(I)by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Test the Spirits

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