1 John 4

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

Dear ones, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Hereby ye know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledgeth that Jesus Christ hath come in the flesh, is of God.

By this the Spirit of God is known: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ as having come in flesh is of God,

3 And every spirit that doth not acknowledge Jesus, is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist, of which ye have heard that it is to come, and even now it is already in the world.

and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as having come in flesh is not of God; indeed, this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming—actually, it is already in the world right now.

4 Ye are of God, my children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Dear children, you are of God and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than the one in the world.

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

They are of the world; that is why they speak of 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. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We are of God: he who knows God listens to us; he who is not of God does not listen to us—by this we know the Spirit of the Truth and the spirit of the deception.

7 Beloved, let us love one another; for love is from God, and every one that loveth hath been born of God, and knoweth God;

Dear ones, we must love one another, because the love is of God and everyone who loves has been begotten by God and knows God.

8 he that loveth not hath not known God; for God is love.

He who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God in regard to us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live through him.

God's love was made real within us by this: God sent His only begotten Son into the world in order that we might live through Him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

In this is the love, not that we loved God but that He loved us—He even sent His Son as the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Dear ones, since God loved us in this way we are obligated to love one another, really.

12 No one hath ever seen God. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

No one has ever looked at God. If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is being perfected in us.

13 Hereby we know that we dwell 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 of His Spirit.

14 And we have seen and bear witness, that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Yes, we have observed and do testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

15 Whoever acknowledgeth that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath in regard to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Yes, we have come to know and believe the love that God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in the love abides in God, and God in him.

17 Herein hath love been perfected with us, that we have confidence in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world.

The love is perfected with us for this: that we may have confidence in the Day of judgment, since just as He is so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.

There is no fear in love; rather perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment; so he who fears has not been perfected in love.

19 We love, because he first loved us.

We love Him because He first loved us.

20 If any one saith, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen?

If anyone says, “I love God,” while hating his brother, he is a liar. Well, how can he love God whom he has not seen, while not loving his brother whom he has seen?

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

Indeed, this commandment we have from Him: he who loves God must love his brother also.