1 John 4
Testing the Spirits
4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit,1 but test2 the spirits3 to determine4 if they are from God, because many false prophets5 have gone out into the world. 4:2 By this6 you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses7 Jesus as the Christ8 who has come in the flesh is from God, 4:3 but9 every spirit that does not confess10 Jesus11 is not from God, and this is the spirit12 of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.
4:4 You are from God, little children, and have conquered them,13 because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 4:5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world’s perspective and the world listens to them. 4:6 We are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but14 whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this15 we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.16
God is Love
4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because17 love is from God, and everyone who loves18 has been fathered19 by God and knows God. 4:8 The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love.20 4:9 By this21 the love of God22 is revealed in us:23 that God has sent his one and only24 Son into the world so that we may live through him. 4:10 In this25 is love: not that26 we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice27 for our sins.
4:11 Dear friends, if God so loved us, then28 we also ought to love one another.29 4:12 No one has seen God at any time.30 If we love one another, God resides31 in us, and his love is perfected in us.32 4:13 By this33 we know that we reside in God34 and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit.35 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior36 of the world.
4:15 If anyone37 confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides38 in him and he in God. 4:16 And we have come to know and to believe39 the love that God has in us.40 God is love, and the one who resides41 in love resides in God, and God resides in him. 4:17 By this42 love is perfected with43 us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus44 is, so also are we in this world. 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.45 The46 one who fears punishment47 has not been perfected in love. 4:19 We love48 because he loved us first.