Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ My babes, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ For by this we know that we are of the truth, and can quiet our hearts before him. ²⁰ But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloveds, if our hearts do not condemn us, then we have trust before God – ²² and whatever we ask, we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

²³ And this is his commandment: that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave commandment. ²⁴ And he who keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And by this we know that there abides in us of the Spirit that he gave us.

Difference of spirits, and how the Spirit of God may be known from the spirit of error. Of the love of God and of our neighbours.

4 Ye beloveds, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God or not. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you may know the spirit that is of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is of God. ³ And every spirit which does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not of God; and this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he would come. And even now already he is in the world.

⁴ Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. ⁵ They are of the world, and therefore what they say is of the world, and 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. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

¹⁷ Then Jesus went, and found that Lazarus had lain in his grave four days already. ¹⁸ Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off, ¹⁹ and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them over their brother. ²⁰ Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him, but Mary sat still in the house.

²¹ Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not be dead. ²² But nevertheless, I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. ²³ Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. ²⁴ Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

²⁵ Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes on me, yea though he be dead, yet shall he live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes on me shall never die. Do you believe this?

²⁷ She said to him, Yes, Lord. I believe that you are Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world.

²⁸ And as soon as she had so said, she went her way and called Mary her sister quietly, saying, The Teacher has come and is calling for you. ²⁹ And Mary, as soon as she heard that, arose quickly and went to him.