⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(A) he said:

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood,^(A) he too shared in their humanity^(B) so that by his death he might break the power^(C) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil^(D)—

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)

⁹ We accept human testimony,^(A) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(B) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(C) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(D) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(E) and this life is in his Son.^{(F) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(G)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(H) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^(I)

¹⁴ The Word became flesh^(A) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,^(B) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace^(C) and truth.^(D)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs^(A) in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.^{(B) 31} But these are written that you may believe^[a](C) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,^(D) and that by believing you may have life in his name.^(E)