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

Beloved, do not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

2 I n this know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ, is come in flesh is of God:

By this you may know (perceive and recognize) the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges and confesses that Jesus Christ (the Messiah) has become man and has come in the flesh is of God;

3 A nd every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ, is come in flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, of which ye have heard that it should come, and that now it is already in the world.

And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh '> annul, destroy, sever, disunite Him] is not of God. This '> nonconfession] is the of the antichrist, which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world.

4 ¶ 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.

Little children, you are of God and have defeated and overcome them, because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.

5 T hey are of the world; therefore, they speak of the world, and the world hears them.

They proceed from the world and are of the world; therefore it is out of the world '> whole economy morally considered] that they speak, and the world listens (pays attention) to them.

6 W e are of God; he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

We are of God. Whoever is learning to know God '> get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us; and he who is not of God does not listen or pay attention to us. By this we know (recognize) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.

7 ¶ Beloved, let us love one another, for charity is of God. Anyone that loves is born of God and knows God.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves is begotten (born) of God and is coming to know and understand God.

8 H e that does not love does not know God, for God is charity.

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God, for God is love.

9 I n this was the charity of God demonstrated in us, in that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique, into the world so that we might live through Him.

10 I n this does the charity consist, not because we had loved God, but because he loved us and has sent his Son to be the reconciliation for our sins.

In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.

11 B eloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

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

12 N o one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his charity is completed in us.

No man has at any time seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!

13 I n this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, in that he has given us of his Spirit.

By this we come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we abide (live and remain) in Him and He in us: because He has given (imparted) to us of His Spirit.

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

And we ourselves have seen (have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated) and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son Savior of the world.

15 W hosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he in God.

16 A nd we have known and believed the charity that God has in us. God is charity, and he that abides in charity abides in God, and God in him.

And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

17 ¶ In this the charity with us is made perfect, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, that as he is, so are we in this world.

In this love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world.

18 I n charity there is no fear; but charity that is perfect casts out fear; because fear has torment; from which he that fears is not complete in charity.

There is no fear in love, but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love.

19 W e love him, because he first loved us.

We love Him, because He first loved us.

20 I f anyone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother '> in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen.

21 A nd we have this commandment from him, That he who loves God loves his brother also.

And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother '> believer] also.