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1 John 4
New American Standard Bible
1 John 4
New American Standard Bible
Testing the Spirits
4 (A)Beloved, do not believe every (B)spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because (C)many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (D)every spirit that (E)confesses that (F)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that (G)does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the (H)antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and (I)now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, (J)little children, and (K)have overcome them; because (L)greater is He who is in you than (M)he who is in the world. 5 (N)They are from the world, therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 (O)We are from God. (P)The one who knows God listens to us; (Q)the one who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (R)the spirit of truth and (S)the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 (T)Beloved, let’s (U)love one another; for love is from God, and (V)everyone who loves has been (W)born of God and (X)knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because (Y)God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed [a](Z)in us, that (AA)God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, (AB)not that we loved God, but that (AC)He loved us and sent His Son to be (AD)the [b]propitiation for our sins. 11 (AE)Beloved, if God so loved us, (AF)we also ought to love one another. 12 (AG)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His (AH)love is perfected in us. 13 (AI)By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and (AJ)testify that the Father has (AK)sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 (AL)Whoever confesses that (AM)Jesus is the Son of God, God (AN)remains in him, and he in God. 16 (AO)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [c](AP)for us. (AQ)God is love, and the one who (AR)remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 By this, (AS)love is perfected with us, so that we may have (AT)confidence in (AU)the day of judgment; because (AV)as He is, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but (AW)perfect love drives out fear, because fear [d]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not (AX)perfected in love. 19 (AY)We love, because He first loved us. 20 (AZ)If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he (BA)hates his brother or sister, he is a (BB)liar; for (BC)the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, (BD)cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And (BE)this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God (BF)must also love his brother and sister.
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:9 Or among us; or in our case
- 1 John 4:10 I.e., means of reconciliation with God by atoning for sins; or sin-offering
- 1 John 4:16 Lit in
- 1 John 4:18 Lit has
1 John 4
New International Version
1 John 4
New International Version
On Denying the Incarnation
4 Dear friends,(A) do not believe every spirit,(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(C) 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh(D) is from God,(E) 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.(G)
4 You, dear children,(H) are from God and have overcome them,(I) because the one who is in you(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.(K) 5 They are from the world(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth(N) and the spirit of falsehood.(O)
God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(P) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(Q) and knows God.(R) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(S) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(T) into the world that we might live through him.(U) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(V) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(W) 11 Dear friends,(X) since God so loved us,(Y) we also ought to love one another.(Z) 12 No one has ever seen God;(AA) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(AB)
13 This is how we know(AC) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(AD) 14 And we have seen and testify(AE) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(AF) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(AG) God lives in them and they in God.(AH) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.(AI) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(AJ) 17 This is how love is made complete(AK) among us so that we will have confidence(AL) on the day of judgment:(AM) In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,(AN) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us.(AO) 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister(AP) is a liar.(AQ) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,(AR) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.(AS) 21 And he has given us this command:(AT) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.(AU)
Footnotes
- 1 John 4:6 Or spirit
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.