^aBeloved, do not believe every ^bspirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because ^cmany false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: ^aevery spirit that ^bconfesses that ^cJesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that ^adoes not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the ^bantichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and ^cnow it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, ^alittle children, and ^bhave overcome them; because ^cgreater is He who is in you than ^dhe who is in the world. 5 ^aThey are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 ^aWe are from God; ^bhe who knows God listens to us; ^che who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know ^dthe spirit of truth and ^ethe spirit of error.

7 ^aBeloved, let us ^blove one another, for love is from God; and ^ceveryone who loves is ^1dborn of God and ^eknows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for ^aGod is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested ^1ain us, that ^bGod has sent His ²only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, ^anot that we loved God, but that ^bHe loved us and sent His Son to be ^cthe propitiation for our sins. 11 ^aBeloved, if God so loved us, ^bwe also ought to love one another. 12 ^aNo one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His ^blove is perfected in us. 13 ^aBy this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and ^atestify that the Father has ^bsent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 ^aWhoever confesses that ^bJesus is the Son of God, God ^cabides in him, and he in God. 16 ^aWe have come to know and have believed the love which God has ^1bfor us. ^cGod is love, and the one who ^dabides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, ^alove is perfected with us, so that we may have ^bconfidence in ^cthe day of judgment; because ^das He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but ^aperfect love casts out fear, because fear ¹involves punishment, and the one who fears is not ^bperfected in love. 19 ^aWe love, because He first loved us. 20 ^aIf someone says, “I love God,” and ^bhates his brother, he is a ^cliar; for ^dthe one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, ^ecannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And ^athis commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God ^bshould love his brother also.

^aBeloved, do not believe every ^bspirit speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because ^cmany false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know and recognize the Spirit of God: ^aevery spirit that ^backnowledges and confesses the fact that ^cJesus Christ has actually come in the flesh as a man is from God God is its source; 3 and every spirit that ^adoes not confess Jesus acknowledging that He has come in the flesh, but would deny any of the Son’s true nature is not of God; this is the spirit of the ^bantichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is ^cnow already in the world. 4 ^aLittle children (believers, dear ones) , you are of God and you belong to Him and ^bhave already overcome them the agents of the antichrist; because He who is in you is ^cgreater than ^dhe (Satan) who is in the world of sinful mankind. 5 ^aThey who teach twisted doctrine are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the viewpoint of the world with its immoral freedom and baseless theories—demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright, and the gullible people of the world listen closely and pay attention to them. 6 ^aWe who teach God’s word are from God energized by the Holy Spirit, and ^bwhoever knows God through personal experience listens to us and has a deeper understanding of Him. ^cWhoever is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know without any doubt ^dthe spirit of truth motivated by God and ^ethe spirit of error motivated by Satan.

7 ^aBeloved, let us unselfishly ^1blove and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and ^ceveryone who loves others is ^dborn of God and ^eknows God through personal experience. 8 The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God does not and never did know Him, for ^aGod is love. He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature. 9 By this the love of God was displayed ^ain us, in that ^bGod has sent His One and only begotten Son the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, ^anot that we loved God, but that ^bHe loved us and sent His Son to be ^cthe propitiation that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering for our sins fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath. 11 ^aBeloved, if God so loved us in this incredible way, ^bwe also ought to love one another. 12 ^aNo one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another with unselfish concern, God abides in us, and His ^blove the love that is His essence abides in us and is completed and perfected in us. 13 ^aBy this we know with confident assurance that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His Holy Spirit. 14 We who were with Him in person have seen and ^atestify as eye-witnesses that the Father has ^bsent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 ^aWhoever confesses and acknowledges that ^bJesus is the Son of God, God ^cabides in him, and he in God. 16 ^aWe have come to know by personal observation and experience, and have believed with deep, consistent faith the love which God has ^bfor us. ^cGod is love, and the one who ^dabides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. 17 In this union and fellowship with Him, ^alove is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have ^bconfidence in ^cthe day of judgment with assurance and boldness to face Him; because ^das He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love dread does not exist. But ^aperfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves the expectation of divine punishment, so the one who is afraid of God’s judgment is not ^bperfected in love has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love. 19 ^aWe love, because ¹He first loved us. 20 ^aIf anyone says, “I love God,” and ^bhates (works against) his Christian brother he is a ^cliar; for ^dthe one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, ^ecannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And ^athis commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God ^bshould also unselfishly love his brother and seek the best for him.