< 1 John 4 >

1 Dearely beloued, beleeue not euery spirit, but trie the spirits whether they are of God: for many false prophets are gone out into this worlde.
Dear friends, don't trust every spirit, but put the spirits to the test to find out whether they're from God, for there are many false prophets out there in the world.
2 Hereby shall ye know the Spirit of God, Euery spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God.
How can you recognize God's Spirit? Every spirit that accepts Jesus Christ came with a human body is from God;
3 And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: but this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whome ye haue heard, how that he should come, and nowe already he is in this world.
while every spirit that doesn't accept Jesus, that spirit isn't from God. In fact it is the spirit of the antichrist which you heard was coming, and which is already in the world.
4 Litle children, ye are of God, and haue ouercome them: for greater is he that is in you, then he that is in this world.
But you belong to God, my friends, and you have defeated them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
5 They are of this worlde, therefore speake they of this world, and this world heareth them.
They belong to the world, so they speak like people of the world, and the world listens to them.
6 We are of God, he that knoweth God, heareth vs: he that is not of God, heareth vs not. Heereby knowe wee the spirit of trueth, and the spirit of errour.
We belong to God and whoever knows God listens to us, while whoever doesn't belong to God doesn't listen to us. This is how we can distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of deception.
7 Beloued, let vs loue one another: for loue commeth of God, and euery one that loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God.
Dear friends, let's go on loving one another, for love comes from God. All those who love are born of God and know God.
8 Hee that loueth not, knoweth not God: for God is loue.
Those who don't love don't know God, for God is love.
9 Herein was that loue of God made manifest amongst vs, because God sent that his onely begotten sonne into this world, that we might liue through him.
How was God's love shown to us? God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could live through him.
10 Herein is that loue, not that we loued God, but that he loued vs, and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes.
This is love! It's not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and he sent his Son to be the reconciliation for our sins.
11 Beloued, if God so loued vs, we ought also to loue one another.
Friends, if this is the way God loves us, we ought to love one another like this too.
12 No man hath seene God at any time. If we loue one another, God dwelleth in vs, and his loue is perfect in vs.
No one has ever seen God. However, if we love one another then God lives in us, and his love is fulfilled in us.
13 Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in vs: because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit.
How can we know that we live in him, and that he lives in us? He's given us the ability to love by his Spirit.
14 And we haue seene, and doe testifie, that the Father sent that Sonne to be ye Sauiour of the world.
For we are witnesses to what we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son as the Savior of the world.
15 Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the Sone of God, in him dwelleth God, and he in God.
God lives in everyone who declares that Jesus is the Son of God, and they live in God.
16 And we haue knowen, and beleeued ye loue that God hath in vs. God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him.
We have experienced and trusted in the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them.
17 Herein is that loue perfect in vs, that we should haue boldnes in the day of iudgement: for as he is, euen so are we in this world.
This is how love is made complete in us so that we can be confident on judgment day: by the fact that we live just like him in this world.
18 There is no feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth out feare: for feare hath painefulnesse: and he that feareth, is not perfect in loue.
Where there is love there can be no fear. God loves us completely, and this love drives all our fears away. If we do fear, it's because we fear being punished, and this shows that we have not been fully re-made by the completeness of God's love.
19 We loue him, because he loued vs first.
We love because he loved us first.
20 If any man say, I loue God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene, loue God whom he hath not seene?
Anyone who says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, is a liar. Anyone who doesn't love a brother whom they can see, can't love God whom they can't see.
21 And this commandement haue we of him, that he that loueth God, should loue his brother also.
This is the command he gave to us: those who love God love their brothers and sisters too.

< 1 John 4 >