Updated on

Read 1 John Chapter 4

Up and down arrows move from one verse to the next.

1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try 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 that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4Ye are of God, 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 of the world, and the world heareth them.

6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God 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 ought also to love one another.

12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19We love him, because he first loved us.

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, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

You are readingKing James Version

Explanation

1 John 4

In short

This chapter teaches readers how to recognize true believers and false ones: the real test is whether someone acknowledges that Jesus came in human form. The writer then shifts to say that love is the heart of God's nature, and those who love one another prove they belong to God and have nothing to fear.

What the text says

In verses 1-3, the writer warns against believing every person who claims to speak for God. The test is simple: does this person say that Jesus Christ came in the flesh? If yes, the spirit is from God. If no, it is "the spirit of antichrist" that is already at work in the world.

Verses 4-6 tell readers they have already won a victory over these false teachers because God is in them and is stronger than anyone in the world. False teachers belong to the world and the world listens to them, but anyone who truly knows God will listen to the writer and his companions, not to false prophets.

From verse 7 onward, the focus changes to love. Love comes from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Verse 8 makes a bold statement: "God is love." Verses 9-10 explain that God showed his love by sending his Son so people could live through him, and by having his Son die to pay for people's sins.

Verses 11-16 apply this: because God loved us, we should love each other. When we love one another, God lives in us and his love becomes complete in us. Verses 17-18 say that perfect love removes fear, because fear brings pain. Verse 19 circles back: we love God because he loved us first.

Verses 20-21 end with a hard truth: if someone claims to love God but hates their brother, that person is lying. You cannot love someone you cannot see while hating someone you can see.

Takeaways

  • Testing who belongs to God comes down to one question: does this person say Jesus came as a real human?
  • God's love shown through Jesus is the proof that we should love each other.
  • Real love for God shows itself in love for other people, not in feelings alone.

Explanation written with the help of AI. The Bible text above is not changed. Context and interpretation are flagged as such; always come back to the text itself.