1 Loved ones, do not believe [the message of] every spirit [i.e., every person claiming to be a teacher], but test the spirits [i.e., require proof that they and their message are genuine] to see whether they represent God [or not], because many false prophets have begun circulating throughout the world.
1 (A)Beloved, do not believe every (B)spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because (C)many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits(A) to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 Dear friends, stop believing every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 Here is how to know [who is speaking from] the Holy Spirit of God: Every spirit [i.e., person] who proclaims that Jesus Christ has come [to earth] in a physical body is [speaking] from God. [See I Cor. 12:3].
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (D)every spirit that (E)confesses that (F)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has(a) come in the flesh(B) is from God.(C)
2 This is how you can recognize God's Spirit: Every spirit who acknowledges that Jesus the Messiah has become human and remains so is from God.
3 But every spirit who does not proclaim [this truth about] Jesus is not [speaking] from God. And this [person] represents the spirit of the antichrist [See 2:18-22; II John 7], whom you have heard would come. Well, now he is already here!
3 and every spirit that (G)does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the (H)antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and (I)now it is already in the world.
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
3 But every spirit who does not confess Jesus(b) is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist;(D) you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now.
3 But every spirit who does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist. You have heard that he is coming, and now he is already in the world.
4 [But], you people are [followers] of God, little children [i.e., dear ones], and you have overcome them [i.e., these false teachers] because He who is in your lives [i.e., the Holy Spirit, See 3:24] is greater [i.e., more powerful] than he who is in [i.e., dominates] the world [i.e., Satan. See II Cor. 4:4].
4 You are from God, (J)little children, and (K)have overcome them; because (L)greater is He who is in you than (M)he who is in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you(E) is greater than the one who is in the world.(F)
4 Little children, you belong to God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
5 These [false teachers] are part of the world, so [naturally] they speak [a message endorsed] by the world and the world listens to them.
5 (N)They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
5 They are from the world.(G) Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them.
5 These people belong to the world. That is why they speak from the world's perspective, and the world listens to them.
6 We [who preach the true Gospel] represent God; the person who knows God listens to our message; the one who does not belong to God does not listen to us. This is how we can know [the difference between those speaking by] the Holy Spirit of truth and [those speaking by] the spirit of [Satan's] error.
6 (O)We are from God; (P)he who knows God listens to us; (Q)he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (R)the spirit of truth and (S)the spirit of error.
6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
6 We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us;(H) anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.(I)
6 We belong to God. The person who knows God listens to us. Whoever does not belong to God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
7 Loved ones, we should have love for one another, because love comes from [the very nature of] God, and every person who [continually] loves [others] has been [spiritually] conceived by God [See 2:29; 3:9], and knows [he is in fellowship with] God.
7 (T)Beloved, let us (U)love one another, for love is from God; and (V)everyone who loves is (a)(W)born of God and (X)knows God.
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God(J) and knows God.
7 Dear friends, let us continuously love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born from God and knows God.
8 The person who does not love [others] does not know God [as Savior], for [the very nature of] God is love.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
8 The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 Here is the way God's love for us was demonstrated; He sent His one and only Son into the world so that we could have [spiritual] life through Him.
9 By this the love of God was manifested (b)(Z)in us, that (AA)God has sent His (c)only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way:(c) God sent(K) His One and Only Son(L) into the world so that we might live(M) through Him.
9 This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent his unique Son into the world so that we might live through him.
10 Here is [the essence of] love: [It is] not that we loved God [first], but that He loved us [See Rom. 5:6-8] and sent His Son to be a "covering over" [i.e., atonement, 2:2] for our sins.
10 In this is love, (AB)not that we loved God, but that (AC)He loved us and sent His Son to be (AD)the propitiation for our sins.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us(N) and sent His Son to be the(d) propitiation(O) for our sins.
10 This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
12 No person has gazed upon God [at any time]; [but] if we love one another, God [continually] lives in our hearts, and His love is made complete within us.
12 (AG)No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His (AH)love is perfected in us.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
12 No one has ever seen God.(e)(Q) If we love one another, God remains in(f) us and His love is perfected in us.
12 No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 This is [one way] to know we live in [fellowship with] God and that He lives in our hearts: [It is] because He has given us His Holy Spirit [to live within us, See 3:24].
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
13 This is how we know that we remain in Him(R) and He in us: He has given assurance to us from His Spirit.(S)
13 This is how we know that we abide in him and he in us: he has given us his Spirit.
14 And we [apostles] have seen and are [reliable] witnesses that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world [See 1:2; 2:2].
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
14 We have seen for ourselves and can testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God, God [continually] lives in that person's heart, and he lives in [fellowship with] God [See 2:23].
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
15 God abides in the one who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, and he abides in God.
16 And we have known [with certainty] and have believed [with assurance] that God has truly loved us. God's [very nature] is love and the person who [continually] loves [Him and others] lives in [fellowship with] God [continually], and God [continually] lives in that person's heart.
16 (AO)We have come to know and have believed the love which God has (d)(AP)for us. (AQ)God is love, and the one who (AR)abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
16 We have come to know and rely on the love that God has for us. God is love, and the person who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
17 Here is what a complete love will do for us: It will give us boldness in [facing] the judgment day, because the way Jesus acts [regarding love] is the way we should act [while] in this world.
17 By this, (AS)love is perfected with us, so that we may have (AT)confidence in (AU)the day of judgment; because (AV)as He is, so also are we in this world.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
17 In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,(V) for we are as He is in this world.(W)
17 This is how love has been perfected among us: we will have confidence on the day of judgment because, during our time in this world, we are just like him.
18 There is no [reason for] fear if one [really] loves, but a complete love removes fear [from us] because fear produces punishment [i.e., mental anxiety], and the person who is [always] afraid does not have a complete love.
18 There is no fear in love; but (AW)perfect love casts out fear, because fear (e)involves punishment, and the one who fears is not (AX)perfected in love.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,(X) because fear involves punishment.(h) So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.(Y)
18 There is no fear where love exists. Rather, perfect love banishes fear, for fear involves punishment, and the person who lives in fear has not been perfected in love.
20 If a person says, "I love God," yet [in reality] hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot [possibly] love God, whom he has never seen.
20 (AZ)If someone says, “I love God,” and (BA)hates his brother, he is a (BB)liar; for (BC)the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, (BD)cannot love God whom he has not seen.
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother,(AA) he is a liar.(AB) For the person who does not love his brother(AC) he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen.(j)
20 Whoever says, "I love God," but hates his brother is a liar. The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love the God whom he has not seen.
21 And this is the [greatest] commandment [See Matt. 2:37-38] we have received from Him: [It requires] that the person who [claims to] love God should also love his brother.
21 And (BE)this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God (BF)should love his brother also.
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
21 And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.
21 And this is the commandment that we have from him: the person who loves God must also love his brother.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.
International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.
King James Version Public Domain
New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org