The First Epistle General of John

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

By this is the spirit of God known. Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God:

And every spirit that dissolveth Jesus, is not of God: and this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh, and he is now already in the world.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore of the world they speak, and the world heareth them.

We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Love Comes from God

Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for charity is of God. And every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.

By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.

In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

My dearest, if God hath so loved us; we also ought to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his charity is perfected in us.

In this we know that we abide in him, and he in us: because he hath given us of his spirit.

And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father hath sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

And we have known, and have believed the charity, which God hath to us. God is charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him.

In this is the charity of God perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment: because as he is, we also are in this world.

Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth, is not perfected in charity.

Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.

If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not?

And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother.

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.

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.

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.

They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them.

We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Love Comes from God

Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.

By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born(a) 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(b) for our sins.

Beloved, if God loved us in this way, 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.

By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he 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.

In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so we are in this world.

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.

We love him,(c) 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?

This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

Footnotes

(a)4:9 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.

(b)4:10 “atoning sacrifice” is from the Greek “ιλασμος”, an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation—the sacrifice that turns away God’s wrath because of our sin.