1 John 4
Christian Standard Bible
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
4 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits(A) to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(B) is from God,(C) 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus[a] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(D) which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you(E) is greater than the one who is in the world.(F) 5 They are from the world.(G) Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us;(H) anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.(I)
Knowing God through Love
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God(J) and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us[b] in this way: God sent(K) his one and only Son(L) into the world so that we might live(M) through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(N) and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice[c](O) for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.(P) 12 No one has ever seen God.(Q) If we love one another, God remains in[d] us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we remain in him(R) and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(S) 14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son(T) as the world’s Savior. 15 Whoever confesses(U) that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,(V) because as he is, so also are we in this world.(W) 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,(X) because fear involves punishment.[e] So the one who fears is not complete in love.(Y) 19 We love[f] because he first loved us.(Z) 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister,(AA) he is a liar.(AB) For the person who does not love his brother or sister(AC) whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.[g] 21 And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.
1 John 4
Revised Geneva Translation
4 Dearly beloved, do not believe every spirit. But test the spirits to see if they are of God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you shall know the Spirit of God: Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.
3 And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not of God. But this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whom you have heard; how that he would come and is now already in this world.
4 Little children, you are of God; and have overcome them! For greater is He Who is in you than he who is in this world.
5 They are of this world. Therefore, they speak of this world. And this world hears them.
6 We are of God. The one who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another. For love comes from God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God. For God is love.
9 In this was that love of God revealed amongst us: because God sent His only begotten Son into this world, so that we might live through Him.
10 In this is that love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be a reconciliation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us. And His love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us: because He has given us of His Spirit.
14 And we have seen (and do testify) that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God - God dwells in him and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has in us. God is love. And the one who dwells in love, dwells in God, and God in him.
17 In this is that love perfected in us: that we should have boldness on the Day of Judgment. For as He is, even so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear. For fear has painfulness. And the one who fears has not been perfected in love.
19 We love Him because He loved us first.
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For how can one who does not love his brother - whom he has seen - love God, Whom he has not seen?
21 And this Commandment we have from Him: that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.