1 John 4

1 Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 By this is the spirit of God known. Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God:

By this you will know the Spirit of God—every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

3 And every spirit that dissolveth Jesus, is not of God: and this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh, and he is now already in the world.

and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

You are from God, dear children, and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

5 They are of the world: therefore of the world they speak, and the world heareth them.

They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them.

6 We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us. He who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

7 Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for charity is of God. And every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God.

8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.

The person who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.

Because of this the love of God was revealed among us, that God has sent his only Son into the world so that we would live because of him.

10 In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and that he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 My dearest, if God hath so loved us; we also ought to love one another.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also should love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his charity is perfected in us.

No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 In this we know that we abide in him, and he in us: because he hath given us of his spirit.

By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us some of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father hath sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Also, we have seen and have borne witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.

16 And we have known, and have believed the charity, which God hath to us. God is charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him.

Also, we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in this love remains in God, and God remains in him.

17 In this is the charity of God perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment: because as he is, we also are in this world.

Because of this, this love has been made perfect among us, so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because as he is, just so are we in this world.

18 Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth, is not perfected in charity.

There is no fear in love. Instead, perfect love throws out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. But the one who fears has not been made perfect in love.

19 Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.

We love because God first loved us.

20 If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not?

If anyone says, “I love God” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

21 And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother.

Also, this is the commandment we have from him: Whoever loves God must also love his own brother.