The Time of the End

12 “At that time shall arise ^(A)Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And ^(B)there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, ^(C)everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. ² And many of those who ^(D)sleep in ^(E)the dust of the earth shall ^(F)awake, ^(G)some to everlasting life, and ^(H)some to shame and everlasting contempt. ^3 (I)And those who are wise ^(J)shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;^[a] and ^(K)those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. ⁴ But you, Daniel, ^(L)shut up the words and ^(M)seal the book, until ^(N)the time of the end. ^(O)Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on ^(P)this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. ⁶ And someone said to ^(Q)the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,^{[b] (R)}“How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” ⁷ And I heard ^(S)the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; ^(T)he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and ^(U)swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a ^(V)time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of ^(W)the power of ^(X)the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. ⁸ I heard, ^(Y)but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” ⁹ He said, ^(Z)“Go your way, Daniel, ^(AA)for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. ^10 (AB)Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but ^(AC)the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, ^(AD)but those who are wise shall understand. ¹¹ And from the time that ^(AE)the regular burnt offering is taken away and ^(AF)the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. ^12 (AG)Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. ^13 (AH)But go your way till the end. ^(AI)And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at ^(AJ)the end of the days.”

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.