| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. | 1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. |
| 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, | 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, |
| 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. | 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. |
| 4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. | 4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. |
| 5They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. | 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. |
| 6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. | 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. |
| 7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. | 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. |
| 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. | 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. |
| 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. | 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. |
| 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. | 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. |
| 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. | 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. |
| 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. | 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. |
| 13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. | 13This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. |
| 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. | 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. |
| 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. | 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. |
| 16So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. | 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. |
| 17By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. | 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. |
| 18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. | 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. |
| 19We love because he first loved us. | 19We love because he first loved us. |
| 20If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. | 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. |
| 21And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. | 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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