1 B eloved, 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.

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 B y this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from 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 Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and 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 Y ou are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who 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 from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to 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 from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. God Is Love

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 B eloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who 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 T he one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

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

9 B y this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so 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 is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation 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 love is perfected 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 B y this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because 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 W e have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior 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 hoever confesses 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 W e have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides 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 B y this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also 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 T here is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

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, because He first loved us.

We love Him, because He first loved us.

20 I f someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot 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 this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

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