1 John 4:20-5:13

New King James Version

Obedience by Faith

^20 (A)If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, ^[a]how can he love God ^(B)whom he has not seen? ²¹ And ^(C)this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Obedience by Faith

5 Whoever believes that ^(D)Jesus is the Christ is ^(E)born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and ^(F)keep His commandments. ^3 (G)For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And ^(H)His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For ^(I)whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that ^(J)has overcome the world—^[b]our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but ^(K)he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Certainty of God’s Witness

⁶ This is He who came ^(L)by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. ^(M)And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷ For there are three that bear witness ^[c]in heaven: the Father, ^(N)the Word, and the Holy Spirit; ^(O)and these three are one. ⁸ And there are three that bear witness on earth: ^(P)the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

⁹ If we receive ^(Q)the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; ^(R)for this is the witness of ^[d]God which He has testified of His Son. ¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God ^(S)has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God ^(T)has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ^12 (U)He who has the Son has ^[e]life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, ^[f]and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.