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1 John 4

Dear friends, don't believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because plenty of false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, And every spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ

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Test the spirits

Dear friends, don't believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because plenty of false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, And every spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. This is that spirit of antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and even now is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and you have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world, so they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God doesn't listen to us. That is how we tell the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error.

Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they're of God. Because plenty of false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God — every spirit that owns up that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that doesn't own up that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh isn't of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist, that you've heard was coming, and even now already is in the world. You're of God, little children, and have won against them. Because greater is the one in you than the one in the world. They're of the world. So they speak of the world, and the world hears them. We're of God. The one who knows God hears us. The one who isn't of God doesn't hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1

Dear friends, don't believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because plenty of false prophets have gone out into the world.

Plain English

Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they're of God. Because plenty of false prophets have gone out into the world.

King James Version, 1611

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2

This is how you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

Plain English

By this you know the Spirit of God — every spirit that owns up that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.

King James Version, 1611

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3

And every spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. This is that spirit of antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and even now is already in the world.

Plain English

And every spirit that doesn't own up that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh isn't of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist, that you've heard was coming, and even now already is in the world.

King James Version, 1611

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4

You are from God, little children, and you have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Plain English

You're of God, little children, and have won against them. Because greater is the one in you than the one in the world.

King James Version, 1611

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

5

They are from the world, so they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

Plain English

They're of the world. So they speak of the world, and the world hears them.

King James Version, 1611

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

6

We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God doesn't listen to us. That is how we tell the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error.

Plain English

We're of God. The one who knows God hears us. The one who isn't of God doesn't hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

King James Version, 1611

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

God is love

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever doesn't love doesn't know God, because God is love. This is how the love of God was shown toward us: God sent his one and only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us like that, we ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know we live in him and he in us: he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God — God lives in him, and he in God. And we have come to know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this our love is made complete, so we can have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear, because fear has torment. The one who fears is not made complete in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. Because anyone who doesn't love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And this is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

Beloved, let's love each other. Because love is of God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who doesn't love doesn't know God. Because God is love. In this the love of God towards us was made plain, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, so we could live through him. In this is love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the covering for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love each other too. No man has seen God at any time. If we love each other, God stays in us and his love is made perfect in us. By this we know we stay in him and he in us, because he's given us of his Spirit. And we've seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whoever owns up that Jesus is the Son of God, God stays in him and he in God. And we've known and believed the love God has to us. God is love. And the one who stays in love stays in God, and God in him. In this our love is made perfect, so we can have boldness in the day of judgment — because as he is, that's how we are in this world. There's no fear in love. But perfect love throws out fear. Because fear has torment. And the one who fears isn't made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man says: I love God — and hates his brother, he's a liar. Because the one who doesn't love his brother who he's seen, how can he love God who he hasn't seen? And this order we have from him — that the one who loves God love his brother too.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, 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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

7

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Plain English

Beloved, let's love each other. Because love is of God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

King James Version, 1611

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8

Whoever doesn't love doesn't know God, because God is love.

Plain English

The one who doesn't love doesn't know God. Because God is love.

King James Version, 1611

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9

This is how the love of God was shown toward us: God sent his one and only Son into the world so we might live through him.

Plain English

In this the love of God towards us was made plain, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, so we could live through him.

King James Version, 1611

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice for our sins.

Plain English

In this is love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the covering for our sins.

King James Version, 1611

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

11

Dear friends, if God loved us like that, we ought to love one another.

Plain English

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love each other too.

King James Version, 1611

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

12

No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Plain English

No man has seen God at any time. If we love each other, God stays in us and his love is made perfect in us.

King James Version, 1611

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13

This is how we know we live in him and he in us: he has given us of his Spirit.

Plain English

By this we know we stay in him and he in us, because he's given us of his Spirit.

King James Version, 1611

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14

And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Plain English

And we've seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

King James Version, 1611

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15

Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God — God lives in him, and he in God.

Plain English

Whoever owns up that Jesus is the Son of God, God stays in him and he in God.

King James Version, 1611

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16

And we have come to know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

Plain English

And we've known and believed the love God has to us. God is love. And the one who stays in love stays in God, and God in him.

King James Version, 1611

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

17

In this our love is made complete, so we can have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world.

Plain English

In this our love is made perfect, so we can have boldness in the day of judgment — because as he is, that's how we are in this world.

King James Version, 1611

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18

There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear, because fear has torment. The one who fears is not made complete in love.

Plain English

There's no fear in love. But perfect love throws out fear. Because fear has torment. And the one who fears isn't made perfect in love.

King James Version, 1611

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19

We love him, because he first loved us.

King James Version, 1611

We love him, because he first loved us.

20

If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. Because anyone who doesn't love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

Plain English

If a man says: I love God — and hates his brother, he's a liar. Because the one who doesn't love his brother who he's seen, how can he love God who he hasn't seen?

King James Version, 1611

If a man say, 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?

21

And this is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

Plain English

And this order we have from him — that the one who loves God love his brother too.

King James Version, 1611

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