1Beloved, do not believe every spirit; but test the spirits, to determine whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you can recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3But any spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. Such people have the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard would come; and is already in the world. 4You are of God, dear children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you (the Holy Spirit), than he (Satan) that is in the world. 5They (that deny the reality and deity of Jesus Christ) belong to this world; therefore, they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6We are of God; and whoever knows God will hear and respond to us; but those that are not of God will not listen to us. By this we distinguish between the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7Dear friends, let us love one another; for love comes from God; and those who love are born of God, and know God. 8Those that do not love do not know God; because God is love. 9And this is how God showed His love for us: He sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might have eternal life through Him. 10Here is real love: not that we loved God; but rather, that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (sacrifice) for our sins. 11Dear friends, if God so loved us, we should also love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God dwells within us, and His love is perfected in us. 13This is how we know that we live in Him, and He in us: because He has given us His Spirit. 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God has God dwelling within him, and he, in turn, lives in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love that God has for us. God is love; and whoever dwells in love dwells in God, and God dwells in him. 17And as we live in God, our love grows more complete, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. If we are fearful, it shows that we have not yet fully attained His perfect love. 19We love Him, because He first loved us. 20If someone claims to love God, but yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for anyone that does not love people that they have seen, how can they love God, Whom they have not seen? 21And He has given us this command: That anyone who loves God must also love his brother and sister.