1 Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. 9 By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. 16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so we are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

1 亲爱的， 不要每个灵都信， 总要试验那些灵是否出于 神， 因为有许多假先知已经来到世上了。

2 你们可以这样认出 神的灵： 凡是承认耶稣基督是成了肉身来的， 那灵就是出于 神。

3 凡是不承认耶稣基督是成了肉身来的， 那灵就不是出于 神， 而是敌基督者的灵； 你们听过他要来， 现在他已经在世上了。

4 孩子们， 你们是属于 神的， 并且已经胜过他们， 因为那在你们里面的比那在世上的更大。

5 他们是属于世界的， 因此讲论属世的事， 世界也就听从他们。

6 我们是属于 神的， 认识 神的就听从我们， 不属于 神的就不听从我们。这样， 我们就可以辨别真理的灵和谬妄的灵了。

7 亲爱的， 我们应当彼此相爱， 因为爱是从 神那里来的。凡是爱人的， 都是从 神生的， 并且认识 神。

8 不爱人的， 就不认识 神， 因为 神就是爱。

9 神差遣他的独生子到世上来， 要使我们借着他而活； 神的爱就在我们中间显明了。

10 不是我们爱 神， 而是 神爱我们， 差遣他的儿子为我们的罪作了赎罪祭， 这就是爱了。

11 亲爱的， 神既然这样爱我们， 我们也应当彼此相爱。

12 从来没有人见过 神， 我们若彼此相爱， 神就住在我们里面， 他的爱也在我们里面得到成全了。

13 神把他的灵赐给我们， 我们就知道我们是住在他里面， 他也住在我们里面。

14 父差遣子作世人的救主， 这是我们见过的， 并且现在作见证。

15 凡承认耶稣是 神的儿子的， 神就住在他里面， 他也住在 神里面。

16 神对我们的爱， 我们已经明白了， 而且相信了。 神就是爱； 住在爱里面的， 就住在 神里面， 神也住在他里面。

17 这样， 爱在我们里面就得到成全， 使我们在审判的日子， 可以坦然无惧。因为他怎样， 我们在这世上也怎样。

18 爱里没有惧怕， 完全的爱可以把惧怕驱除， 因为惧怕含有刑罚， 惧怕的人在爱里还没有完全。

19 我们爱， 因为 神先爱我们。

20 人若说"我爱 神"， 却恨他的弟兄， 就是说谎的。不爱看得见的弟兄， 就不能爱看不见的 神。

21 爱 神的， 也应当爱弟兄， 这就是我们从 神领受的命令。