1 John 4
1 Dear friends, many people [who have a false message] are teaching it to people [MTY]. So do not trust every [message that someone claims/says that God’s] Spirit [MTY] [gave to him]. Instead, (test/think carefully about) the teachings that [you hear] in order to know whether they are from God or not.
ⲁ̅ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲣⲁⲧⲉ. ⲙ̅ⲡⲣ̅ⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲇⲟⲕⲓⲙⲁⲍⲉ ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲉϩⲉⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲉ. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲁϩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲩϫ ⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ.
2 [I will tell] you how to recognize [teachings that come from] the Spirit of God: Those who affirm/say that Jesus Christ came [from God] to become a human [like us] are [teaching a message] that is from God.
ⲃ̅ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲥⲟⲩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ̅ⲡⲉⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲡⲗⲁⲛⲏ ϫⲉ ⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲛⲁϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲉⲓ ⲛ̅ⲓⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ̅. ϫⲉ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲥⲁⲣⲝ̅ ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲉ.
3 But those who do not affirm/say [that about] Jesus are not [teaching a message] from God. [They are teachers who] oppose Christ. You have heard that people like that are coming [to be among us]. Even now they are already here!
ⲅ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲛ̅ϥⲛⲁϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲉⲓ ⲁⲛ ⲛ̅ⲓⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ̅ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲉ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲛⲧⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ ϫⲉ ϥⲛⲏⲩ. ϫⲓⲛⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ.
4 As for you who are very dear to me, you belong to God, and you have refused [the false messages] that those people [teach], because [God], who enables you [to do what he wants], is (greater/more powerful) than ([Satan/the devil]), who enables (godless people/people who conduct their lives in a way that displeases God) [MTY].
ⲇ̅ⲛ̅ⲧⲱⲧⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲛ̅ϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ϫⲣⲟ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ. ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲧϩⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ.
5 As for [those who are teaching what is false], they are (godless people/people whose lives are displeasing to God) [MTY]. Because of that, they teach what (godless people/people whose lives are displeasing to God) [MTY] want to hear. That is why the (godless people/people whose lives displease God) [MTY] listen to them.
ⲉ̅ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲉⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲉ. ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲩϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ ⲛ̅ⲥⲱⲟⲩ.
6 As for us [(exc)], [because] we belong to God, whoever (knows/has a close relationship with) God listens to us. [But] those who do not belong to God do not listen to us. That is how we can know whether [the things that people are teaching] [MTY] are true or whether they are false, and deceiving [people].
ⲋ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲁⲛⲟⲛϩⲉⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲡⲉⲧⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ. ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ. ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲧⲛ̅ⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲉ ⲙⲛ̅ⲡⲉⲡⲛ̅ⲁ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲡⲗⲁⲛⲏ.
7 Dear friends, we must love each other, because God [enables us] to love [each other], and because those who love [their fellow believers] have become God’s children and (know/have a close relationship with) him.
ⲍ̅ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲣⲁⲧⲉ. ⲙⲁⲣⲛ̅ⲙⲉⲣⲉⲛⲉⲛⲉⲣⲏⲩ. ϫⲉ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲧⲉ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲁ ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲩϫⲡⲟϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲁⲩⲱ ϥⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ.
8 God’s [nature] is to love [all people]. So those who do not love [their fellow believers] do not (know/have a relationship with) God.
ⲏ̅ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲛ̅ϥⲙⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲛ̅ϥⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ̅ ⲁⲛ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ.
9 I will tell you how God has shown us [that he] loves us: He sent (his only Son/the only one who was also God) [to live] on the earth to enable us to live [eternally] as a result of [our trusting in what] he [accomplished for us by dying for us].
ⲑ̅ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲁⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲛ̅. ϫⲉ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ. ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲱⲛϩ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ̅.
10 [And God] has shown [us what it means to] love [another person]: [It does] not [mean] that we loved God, but [it means] that God loved us and sent (his Son/the one who was also God) to sacrifice [his life] in order that [our sins might be forgiven] {[he might forgive] our sins}.
ⲓ̅ⲉⲣⲉⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲓ. ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲛⲙⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟϥ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧⲛ̅. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛ̅ⲕⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲛⲛⲟⲃⲉ.
11 Dear friends, since God loves us like that, we certainly ought to love each other!
ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲣⲁⲧⲉ. ⲉϣϫⲉⲁⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ. ⲉⲓⲉ ϣ̅ϣⲉ ϩⲱⲱⲛ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ ⲉⲙⲉⲣⲉⲛⲉⲛⲉⲣⲏⲩ.
12 No one has ever seen God. [Nevertheless], if we love each other, [it is evident that] God lives within us and that we love others just like he [intends/wants us to do].
ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲛⲉϩ. ⲉⲛϣⲁⲛⲙⲉⲣⲉⲛⲉⲛⲉⲣⲏⲩ. ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲟⲩ[ⲱϩ] ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲛ̅. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲁϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲛ̅.
13 [I will tell you] how we can be sure that we have a close relationship with God and that God is within us: He has put his Spirit within us.
ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲧⲛ̅ⲉⲓⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲧⲛ̅ⲟⲩ[ⲏϩ] ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ̅. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟϥ ϥⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲛ̅. ϫⲉ ⲁϥϯ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥⲡⲛ̅ⲁ.
14 We [apostles] have seen (God’s Son/the one who is also God), and [we tell people] that the Father sent him to save [the people in] the world [MTY] [from being punished for their sins].
ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲛⲣ̅ⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲣⲉ. ϫⲉ ⲁⲡⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ.
15 [So] those who affirm/say that Jesus is the (Son of/one who is also) God, God is within them, and they have a close relationship with God.
ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲉⲓ ϫⲉ ⲓⲥ̅ ⲡⲉ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧϥ̅. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟϥ ϥⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ.
16 We have experienced how God loves us and we believe that he loves us. [As a result, we love others. Because] God’s [nature] is to love people, those who continue to love [others] have a close relationship with God, and God has a close relationship with them.
ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲁⲛⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲛⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲉⲧⲉⲩⲛ̅ⲧⲥ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲛ̅. ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ϥⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧϥ̅.
17 We [should] love others completely. And if we do that, when the time comes for [him to] judge us, we will be confident [that he will not condemn us] (OR, [that we have a close relationship with him]). [We will be confident of that] because of our [conducting our lives] in this world as Christ did.
ⲓ̅ⲍ̅ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲁⲥϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ϭⲓⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲛ. ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲛⲉϫⲓ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲡⲁⲣⲣⲏⲥⲓⲁ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ. ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲛ̅ⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲛ̅ⲧⲟϥ ⲛ̅ⲧⲛ̅ϣⲟⲟⲡ ϩⲱⲱⲛ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲓⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ.
18 We will not be afraid [of God] if we [truly] love [him], because those who love [God] completely cannot possibly be afraid [of him]. [We would be] afraid only [if we thought that he would] punish us. So those who are afraid [of God certainly] are not loving [God] completely.
ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ⲙ̅ⲙⲛ̅ϩⲟⲧⲉ ϣⲟⲟⲡ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϣⲁⲥⲛⲟⲩϫⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ⲑⲟⲧⲉ. ϫⲉ ⲑⲟⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲥ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲕⲟⲗⲁⲥⲓⲥ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲧⲣ̅ϩⲟⲧⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡϥ̅ϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ.
19 We love [God and our fellow believers] because God loved us first.
ⲓ̅ⲑ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲧⲛ̅ⲉⲓⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟϥ ⲛ̅ϣⲟⲣⲡ̅ ⲁϥⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧⲛ̅.
20 [So] those who say “I love God” but hate a fellow believer are lying. Those who do not love one of their fellow believers, whom they have seen, certainly cannot be loving God, whom they have not seen.
ⲕ̅ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛⲟⲩⲁ ϫⲟⲟⲥ. ϫⲉ ϯⲙⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ. ⲉϥⲙⲟⲥⲧⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥⲥⲟⲛ. ⲟⲩⲣⲉϥϫⲓϭⲟⲗ ⲡⲉ. ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲛ̅ϥⲙⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥⲥⲟⲛ ⲉⲧϥ̅ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ. ⲙ̅ⲙⲛ̅ϭⲟⲙ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲙⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲛ̅ϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲁⲛ.
21 Keep in mind that this is what God has commanded us: If we love him, we must also love our fellow believers.
ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲉⲓⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲁⲛϫⲓⲧⲥ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ̅. ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲡⲉⲧⲙⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉϥⲉⲙⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉϥⲥⲟⲛ.
