1 John 4

1 Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out 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 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has 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 who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.

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 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who 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 hears 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 who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know 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’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows 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 who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.

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

9 By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born Son into the world that we might 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 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice 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 loved us in this way, 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 has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been 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 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has 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 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.

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

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

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

16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains 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 In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so we are 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 casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears 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 him, because he first loved us.

We love Him because He first loved us.

20 If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has 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 This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

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