Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 4 - New International Version (2024)

On Denying the Incarnation

4Dear friends,^(A) do not believe every spirit,^(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(C) 2}This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(D) is from God,^{(E) 3}but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(G)

⁴You, dear children,^(H) are from God and have overcome them,^(I) because the one who is in you^(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.^{(K) 5}They are from the world^(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[a] of truth^(N) and the spirit of falsehood.^(O)

God’s Love and Ours

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another,^(P) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(Q) and knows God.^{(R) 8}Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^{(S) 9}This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(T) into the world that we might live through him.^{(U) 10}This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(V) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(W) 11}Dear friends,^(X) since God so loved us,^(Y) we also ought to love one another.^{(Z) 12}No one has ever seen God;^(AA) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(AB)

¹³This is how we know^(AC) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(AD) 14}And we have seen and testify^(AE) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^{(AF) 15}If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(AG) God lives in them and they in God.^{(AH) 16}And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(AI) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^{(AJ) 17}This is how love is made complete^(AK) among us so that we will have confidence^(AL) on the day of judgment:^(AM) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(AN) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹We love because he first loved us.^{(AO) 20}Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(AP) is a liar.^(AQ) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(AR) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^{(AS) 21}And he has given us this command:^(AT) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(AU)

Footnotes

1. 1 John 4:6 Or spirit

Cross references

1. 1 John 4:1 : S 1Co 10:14
2. 1 John 4:1 : Jer 29:8; 1Co 12:10; 2Th 2:2
3. 1 John 4:1 : S Mt 7:15; 1Jn 2:18
4. 1 John 4:2 : S Jn 1:14; 1Jn 2:23
5. 1 John 4:2 : 1Co 12:3
6. 1 John 4:3 : 1Jn 2:22; 2Jn 7
7. 1 John 4:3 : 1Jn 2:18
8. 1 John 4:4 : S 1Jn 2:1
9. 1 John 4:4 : S Jn 16:33
10. 1 John 4:4 : Ro 8:31
11. 1 John 4:4 : 2Ki 6:16; S Jn 12:31
12. 1 John 4:5 : Jn 15:19; 17:14, 16
13. 1 John 4:6 : Jn 8:47
14. 1 John 4:6 : S Jn 14:17
15. 1 John 4:6 : S Mk 13:5
16. 1 John 4:7 : S 1Jn 3:11
17. 1 John 4:7 : S Jn 1:13
18. 1 John 4:7 : S 1Jn 2:4
19. 1 John 4:8 : ver 7, 16
20. 1 John 4:9 : Jn 1:18
21. 1 John 4:9 : Jn 3:16, 17; 1Jn 5:11
22. 1 John 4:10 : Ro 5:8, 10
23. 1 John 4:10 : S Ro 3:25
24. 1 John 4:11 : S 1Co 10:14
25. 1 John 4:11 : S Jn 3:16
26. 1 John 4:11 : Jn 15:12; S 1Jn 3:11
27. 1 John 4:12 : S Jn 1:18
28. 1 John 4:12 : ver 17; 1Jn 2:5
29. 1 John 4:13 : S 1Jn 2:3
30. 1 John 4:13 : 1Jn 3:24
31. 1 John 4:14 : S Jn 15:27
32. 1 John 4:14 : S Lk 2:11; S Jn 3:17
33. 1 John 4:15 : S 1Jn 2:23; 5:5
34. 1 John 4:15 : 1Jn 3:24
35. 1 John 4:16 : ver 8
36. 1 John 4:16 : ver 12, 13; 1Jn 3:24
37. 1 John 4:17 : ver 12; 1Jn 2:5
38. 1 John 4:17 : S Eph 3:12
39. 1 John 4:17 : S Mt 10:15
40. 1 John 4:18 : Ro 8:15
41. 1 John 4:19 : ver 10
42. 1 John 4:20 : S 1Jn 2:9
43. 1 John 4:20 : S 1Jn 1:6; 2:4
44. 1 John 4:20 : 1Jn 3:17
45. 1 John 4:20 : ver 12; S Jn 1:18
46. 1 John 4:21 : 1Jn 2:7
47. 1 John 4:21 : S Mt 5:43; S 1Jn 2:9