CHAPTER 4
1 Most dear brethren, do not ye believe to each spirit, but prove ye the spirits, if they be of God, (or Most dear brothers, do not believe every spirit, but rather, test the spirits, to see if they be from God); for many false prophets went out into the world.
2 In this thing the Spirit of God is known; each spirit that acknowledgeth that Jesus Christ hath come in (the) flesh, is of God; (The Spirit of God is known by this; every spirit that acknowledgeth that Jesus Christ hath come in the flesh, is from God;)
3 and each spirit that undoeth Jesus, is not of God. And this is (of the) antichrist, of whom ye have heard, that he cometh; and right now he is in the world. (and every spirit that will not acknowledge Jesus, is not from God. Rather they be from the Anti-Messiah, or the False Messiah, or the Enemy of the Messiah, of whom ye have heard, that he cometh; and right now he is in the world.)
4 Ye, little sons, be of God, and ye have overcome him; for he that is in you is more, than he that is in the world, (or for he who is in you is greater, than he who is in the world).
5 They be of the world, therefore they speak of the world, (or and so they speak about the world), and the world heareth them.
6 We be of God; he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. In this thing we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
7 Most dear brethren, love we together, for charity is of God; and each that loveth his brother, is born of God, and knoweth God. (Most dear brothers, love one another, for love is from God; and each one who loveth his brother, is born of God, or is a child of God, and knoweth God.)
8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is charity (or for God is love).
9 In this thing, the charity of God appeared in us, (or In this, the love of God appeared to us), for God sent his one begotten Son into the world, (so) that we live by him.
10 In this thing is charity, not as we had loved God, but for he first loved us, (or And this is love, not because we had loved God, but because he first loved us), and sent his Son (as the) forgiveness [or (as the) helping] for our sins.
11 Ye most dear brethren, if God loved us, we owe to love each other. (Ye most dear brothers, if God loved us, we ought to love one another.)
12 No man saw ever God; if we love together, God dwelleth in us, and the charity of him is perfect in us. (No one ever saw God; but if we love one another, God remaineth in us, and his love is perfect, or complete, in us.)
13 In this thing we know, that we dwell in him, and he in us; for of his Spirit he gave to us (or for he gave his Spirit to us).
14 And we saw, and witness (or testify), that the Father sent his Son (as the) Saviour of the world.
15 Whoever acknowledgeth, that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known, and believe to the charity, that God hath in us. God is charity, and he that dwelleth in charity, dwelleth in God, and God in him. (And we have known, and believe in the love, that God hath for us. God is love, and he who remaineth in love, remaineth in God, and God in him.)
17 In this thing is the perfect charity of God with us [or In this thing is the perfect charity of God in us], that we have trust in the day of doom; for as he is, also we be in this world. (In this then is the perfect love of God for us, so that we can have trust on the Day of Judgement; for as he is in this world, also we be in this world.)
18 Dread is not in charity, but perfect charity putteth out dread; for dread hath pain. But he that dreadeth, is not perfect in charity. (There is no fear in love, but perfect love putteth out fear; because fear hath pain, or fear cometh before pain. But he who feareth, is not perfect in love.)
19 Therefore love we God, for he loved us before. [Therefore love we God, for he former loved us (or for he first loved us).](And so let us love God, for he loved us first.)
20 If any man saith, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how may he love God (or how can he love God), whom he seeth not?
21 And we have this commandment of God, that he that loveth God, love also his brother.