1Beloved, believe not every spirit , but prove the spirits , whether they are of God ; because many false prophets are gone out into the world . 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God : every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God : 3and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God : and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh ; and now it is in the world already . 4Ye are of God , my little children , and have overcome them : because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world . 5They are of the world : therefore speak they as of the world , and the world heareth them . 6We are of God : he that knoweth God heareth us ; he who is not of God heareth us not . By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error .
God is Love
7Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of God ; and every one that loveth is begotten of God , and knoweth God . 8He that loveth not knoweth not God ; for God is love. 9Herein was the love of God manifested in us , that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him . 10Herein is love, not that we loved God , but that he loved us , and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us , we also ought to love one another . 12No man hath beheld God at any time : if we love one another , God abideth in us , and his love is perfected in us :
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
13hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us , because he hath given us of his Spirit . 14And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world . 15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God , God abideth in him , and he in God . 16And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us . God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God , and God abideth in him . 17Herein is love made perfect with us , that we may have boldness in the day of judgment ; because as he is , even so are we in this world . 18There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear , because fear hath punishment ; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19We love, because he first loved us .
Love for One Another
20If 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 , cannot love God whom he hath not seen . 21And this commandment have we from him , that he who loveth God love his brother also .