Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. |
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. | This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. |
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You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. | You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. |
Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. | Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. |
He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. | Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. |
By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born Son into the world that we might live through him. | This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. |
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. | This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. |
Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. | Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. |
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us. | No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. |
By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. | This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. |
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. | If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. |
We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. | And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. |
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. | There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. |
We love him, because he first loved us. | We love because He first loved us. |
If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? | Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. |
This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother. | And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. |