²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me^(A) and have believed that I came from God.^{(B) 28} I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”^(C)

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.^{(D) 30} Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe^(E) that you came from God.”^(F)

³¹ “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. ³² “A time is coming^(G) and in fact has come when you will be scattered,^(H) each to your own home. You will leave me all alone.^(I) Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.^(J)

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.^(K) In this world you will have trouble.^(L) But take heart! I have overcome^(M) the world.”

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)