CHAPTER 4

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

2 By this know ye the Spirit of God, -- Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is from God;

3 And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not from God; and this is the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he is to come, and he is now already in the world.

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

5 They are of the world; therefore of the world do they speak, and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God; he who knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God, doth not hear us: by this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let us love one another; because love is from God; and every one who loveth has been born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He who loveth not, knoweth not God, because God is love.

9 In this has appeared the love of God to us, that God has sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we may live through him.

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that God has loved us and sent his Son a propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God has so loved us, we ought also to hive one another.

12 No one hath ever seen God: if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

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

15 He who shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and have believed the love which God hath to us: God is love; and he who abideth in love, abideth in God, and God in him.

17 By this has love in us been perfected, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world.

18 Fear is not in love: but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment; and he who fears, has not been perfected in love.

19 We love him, because he has first loved us.

20 If any one say, "I love God," and hate his neighbour, he is a liar; for he who loves not his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he sees not?

21 And this commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.