Iohannis I 4
1 Charissimi, nolite omni spiritui credere, sed probate spiritus si ex Deo sint: quoniam multi pseudoprophetae exierunt in mundum.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 in hoc cognoscitur spiritus Dei: omnis spiritus qui confitetur Iesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo est:
By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 et omnis spiritus, qui solvit Iesum, ex Deo non est, et hic est Antichristus, de quo audistis quoniam venit, et nunc iam in mundo est.
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.
4 Vos ex Deo estis filioli, et vicistis eum, quoniam maior est qui in vobis est, quam qui in mundo.
You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
5 Ipsi de mundo sunt: ideo de mundo loquuntur, et mundus eos audit.
They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.
6 Nos ex Deo sumus. Qui novit Deum, audit nos: qui non est ex Deo, non audit nos: in hoc cognoscimus Spiritum veritatis, et spiritum erroris.
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
7 Charissimi, diligamus nos invicem: quia charitas ex Deo est. Et omnis, qui diligit, ex Deo natus est, et cognoscit Deum.
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 Qui non diligit, non novit Deum: quoniam Deus charitas est.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 In hoc apparuit charitas Dei in nobis, quoniam Filium suum unigenitum misit Deus in mundum, ut vivamus per eum.
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
10 In hoc est charitas: non quasi nos dilexerimus Deum, sed quoniam ipse prior dilexit nos, et misit Filium suum propitiationem pro peccatis nostris.
And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Charissimi, si sic Deus dilexit nos: et nos debemus alterutrum diligere.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 Deum nemo vidit umquam. Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manet, et charitas eius in nobis perfecta est.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
13 In hoc cognoscimus quoniam in eo manemus, et ipse in nobis: quoniam de Spiritu sancto suo dedit nobis.
By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.
14 Et nos vidimus, et testificamur quoniam Pater misit Filium suum Salvatorem mundi.
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Quisquis confessus fuerit quoniam Iesus est Filius Dei, Deus in eo manet, et ipse in Deo.
If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 Et nos cognovimus, et credidimus charitati, quam habet Deus in nobis. Deus charitas est: et qui manet in charitate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo.
And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17 In hoc perfecta est charitas Dei nobiscum, ut fiduciam habeamus in die iudicii: quia sicut ille est, et nos sumus in hoc mundo.
In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him.
18 Timor non est in charitate: sed perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem, quoniam timor poenam habet. qui autem timet, non est perfectus in charitate.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
19 Nos ergo diligamus Deum, quoniam Deus prior dilexit nos.
We love because He first loved us.
20 Si quis dixerit quoniam diligo Deum, et fratrem suum oderit, mendax est. Qui enim non diligit fratrem suum quem vidit, Deum, quem non vidit, quomodo potest diligere?
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
21 Et hoc mandatum habemus a Deo: ut qui diligit Deum, diligat et fratrem suum.
And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
