1 Ye beloved, believe not every spirit: but prove the spirits whether they be of God, or not: for many false prophets are gone out in to the world.
2 Hereby shall ye know the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God.
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God. And the same is that spirit of antichrist, of whom ye have heard, how that he should come: and even now already is he in the world.
4 Little children, ye are of God, and have overcome them: for greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
5 They be of the world, and therefore speak they of the world, and the world attendeth unto them.
6 We be of God, and he that knoweth God heareth us: and he that is not of God, heareth us not. And hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
7 Dearly beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God. And all that love are born of God, and knoweth God.
8 And he that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is love.
9 Herein appeared the love of God to us ward, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we should live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to make a satisfaction for our sins.
11 Dearly beloved, if God so loved us, then we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us.
13 Hereby know we, that we abide in him, and he in us: For he hath given us of his spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the father hath sent his son, which is the saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever confesseth that Jesus is the son of God, in him dwelleth God, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is the love perfect with us, that we should have confidence in the day of judgment; For as he is, even so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out all fear, for fear hath painfulness. He therefore that feareth is not perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he loved us first.