1 John 4
New American Standard Bible
Testing the Spirits
4 (A)Beloved, do not believe every (B)spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because (C)many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (D)every spirit that (E)confesses that (F)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that (G)does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the (H)antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and (I)now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, (J)little children, and (K)have overcome them; because (L)greater is He who is in you than (M)he who is in the world. 5 (N)They are from the world, therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 (O)We are from God. (P)The one who knows God listens to us; (Q)the one who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (R)the spirit of truth and (S)the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 (T)Beloved, let’s (U)love one another; for love is from God, and (V)everyone who loves has been (W)born of God and (X)knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because (Y)God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed [a](Z)in us, that (AA)God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, (AB)not that we loved God, but that (AC)He loved us and sent His Son to be (AD)the [b]propitiation for our sins. 11 (AE)Beloved, if God so loved us, (AF)we also ought to love one another. 12 (AG)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His (AH)love is perfected in us. 13 (AI)By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and (AJ)testify that the Father has (AK)sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 (AL)Whoever confesses that (AM)Jesus is the Son of God, God (AN)remains in him, and he in God. 16 (AO)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [c](AP)for us. (AQ)God is love, and the one who (AR)remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 By this, (AS)love is perfected with us, so that we may have (AT)confidence in (AU)the day of judgment; because (AV)as He is, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but (AW)perfect love drives out fear, because fear [d]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not (AX)perfected in love. 19 (AY)We love, because He first loved us. 20 (AZ)If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he (BA)hates his brother or sister, he is a (BB)liar; for (BC)the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, (BD)cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And (BE)this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God (BF)must also love his brother and sister.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:9 Or among us; or in our case
- 1 John 4:10 I.e., means of reconciliation with God by atoning for sins; or sin-offering
- 1 John 4:16 Lit in
- 1 John 4:18 Lit has
1 John 4
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.
1 Johannesbrevet 4
Svenska 1917
4 Mina älskade, tron icke var och en ande, utan pröven andarna, huruvida de äro av Gud; ty många falska profeter hava gått ut i världen.
2 Därpå skolen I känna igen Guds Ande: var och en ande som bekänner att Jesus är Kristus, kommen i köttet, han är av Gud;
3 men var och en ande som icke så bekänner Jesus, han är icke av Gud. Den anden är Antikrists ande, om vilken I haven hört att den skulle komma, och som redan nu är i världen.
4 I, kära barn, I ären av Gud och haven övervunnit dessa; ty han som är i eder är större än den som är i världen.
5 De äro av världen; därför tala de vad som är av världen, och världen lyssnar till dem.
6 Vi åter äro av Gud. Den som känner Gud, han lyssnar till oss; den som icke är av Gud, han lyssnar icke till oss. Härpå känna vi igen sanningens Ande och villfarelsens ande.
7 Mina älskade, låtom oss älska varandra; ty kärleken är av Gud, och var och en som älskar, han är född av Gud och känner Gud.
8 Den som icke älskar, han har icke lärt känna Gud, ty Gud är kärleken.
9 Därigenom har Guds kärlek blivit uppenbarad bland oss, att Gud har sänt sin enfödde Son i världen, för att vi skola leva genom honom.
10 Icke däri består kärleken, att vi hava älskat Gud, utan däri, att han har älskat oss och sänt sin Son till försoning för våra synder.
11 Mina älskade, om Gud så har älskat oss, då äro ock vi pliktiga att älska varandra.
12 Ingen har någonsin sett Gud. Om vi älska varandra, så förbliver Gud i oss, och hans kärlek är fullkomnad i oss.
13 Därav att han har givit oss av sin Ande veta vi att vi förbliva i honom, och att han förbliver i oss.
14 Och vi hava själva sett, och vi vittna om att Fadern har sänt sin Son till att vara världens Frälsare.
15 Den som bekänner att Jesus är Guds Son, i honom förbliver Gud, och han själv förbliver i Gud.
16 Och vi hava lärt känna den kärlek som Gud har i oss, och vi hava kommit till tro på den. Gud är kärleken, och den som förbliver i kärleken, han förbliver i Gud, och Gud förbliver i honom.
17 Därigenom är kärleken fullkomnad hos oss, att vi hava frimodighet i fråga om domens dag; ty sådan Han är, sådana äro ock vi i denna världen.
18 Räddhåga finnes icke i kärleken, utan fullkomlig kärlek driver ut räddhågan, ty i räddhågan ligger tanke på straff, och den som rädes är icke fullkomnad i kärleken.
19 Vi älska, därför att han först har älskat oss.
20 Om någon säger sig älska Gud och hatar sin broder, så är han en lögnare. Ty den som icke älskar sin broder, som han har sett, han kan icke älska Gud, som han icke har sett.
21 Och det budet hava vi från honom, att den som älskar Gud, han skall ock älska sin broder.
1 John 4
New King James Version
Love for God and One Another
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but (A)test the spirits, whether they are of God; because (B)many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (C)Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus [b]Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than (D)he who is in the world. 5 (E)They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and (F)the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. (G)By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Knowing God Through Love(H)
7 (I)Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who (J)loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 (K)In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten (L)Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, (M)not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son (N)to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, (O)if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Seeing God Through Love
12 (P)No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 (Q)By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And (R)we have seen and testify that (S)the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 (T)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and (U)he who abides in love abides in God, and God (V)in him.
The Consummation of Love
17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that (W)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 casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 (X)We love [c]Him because He first loved us.
Obedience by Faith
20 (Y)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, [d]how can he love God (Z)whom he has not seen? 21 And (AA)this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:3 NU omits that
- 1 John 4:3 NU omits Christ has come in the flesh
- 1 John 4:19 NU omits Him
- 1 John 4:20 NU he cannot
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
