How To Recognize The Spirit Of God

1 Do not believe every spirit, beloved, but test the spirits to see if they come from God; for many false prophets have emerged in 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 You can recognize the Spirit of God by this: every spirit which confesses Jesus as the Christ incarnate comes from God,

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 and every spirit which does not confess Jesus [incarnate] does not come from God. This latter is the spirit of antichrist; you were told it was coming, and here it is already in the world.

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 My dear children, you belong to God, and you have conquered all such, for He who is within you is greater than he who is in the world.

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 They belong to the world, therefore they speak as inspired 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 belong to God ??he who knows God listens to us, he who does not belong to God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of 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.

God's Love Revealed

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love belongs to God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows 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 he who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.

8 The one who does not love does not know God, for (Y)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 This is how the love of God has appeared for us, by God sending his only Son into the world, so that by him we might live.

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 Love lies in this, not in our love for him but in his love for us ??in the sending of his Son to be the propitiation 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.

11 Beloved, if God had such love for us, we ought to love one another.

11 (AE)Beloved, if God so loved us, (AF)we also ought to love one another.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.(P)

11 Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love one another.

12 God no one has ever seen; but if we love one another, then God remains within us, and love for him is complete in 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 how we may be sure we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us a share in his own Spirit;

13 (AI)By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

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 have seen, we can testify, that the Father has sent the Son as the Saviour of the world.

14 We have seen and (AJ)testify that the Father has (AK)sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

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

14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son(T) as the world’s Savior.

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 confesses that 'Jesus is the Son of God,' in him God remains, and he remains in God;

15 (AL)Whoever confesses that (AM)Jesus is the Son of God, God (AN)abides in him, and he in God.

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

15 Whoever confesses(g)(U) that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains 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 well, we do know, we have believed, the love God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

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 Love is complete with us when we have absolute confidence about the day of judgment, since in this world we are living as He lives.

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 Love has no dread in it; no, love in its fulness drives all dread away, for dread has to do with punishment ??anyone who has dread, has not reached the fulness of 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.

19 We love, because He loved us first.

19 (AY)We love, because He first loved us.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

19 We love(i) because He first loved us.(Z)

19 We love because God first loved us.

Keeping God's Commands

20 If anyone declares, 'I love God,' and yet hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who will not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot possibly love the 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 we get this command from him, that he who loves God is to love his brother as well.

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