1 John 4 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

1 John 4 (WEBP)

[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 John 4:9 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.
1 John 4:10 “atoning sacrifice” is from the Greek “ιλασμος”, an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation—the sacrifice that turns away God’s wrath because of our sin.
1 John 4:19 NU omits “him”.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

1 John 4 (KJVS)

[1] Beloved , believe () not every spirit , but try () the spirits whether they are () of God : because many false prophets are gone out () into the world .
[2] Hereby know ye () () the Spirit of God : Every spirit that confesseth () that Jesus Christ is come () in the flesh is () of God :
[3] And 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 .
[4] Ye are () of God , little children , and have overcome () them : because greater is he that is () in you , than he that is in the world .
[5] They are () of the world : therefore speak they () of the world , and the world heareth () them .
[6] We 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 .
[7] Beloved , let us love () one another : for love is () of God ; and every one that loveth () is born () of God , and knoweth () God .
[8] He that loveth () not knoweth () not God ; for God is () love .
[9] In 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 .
[10] Herein is () love , not that we loved () God , but that he loved () us , and sent () his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins .
[11] Beloved , if God so loved () us , we ought () also to love () one another .
[12] No man hath seen () God at any time . If we love () one another , God dwelleth () in us , and his love is () perfected () in us .
[13] Hereby know we () that we dwell () in him , and he in us , because he hath given () us of his Spirit .
[14] And we have seen () and do testify () that the Father sent () the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world .
[15] Whosoever shall confess () that Jesus is () the Son of God , God dwelleth () in him , and he in God .
[16] And 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 .
[17] Herein 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 .
[18] There is () no fear in love ; but perfect love casteth () out fear : because fear hath () torment . He that feareth () is not made perfect () in love .
[19] We love () () him , because he first loved () us .
[20] If 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 ()?
[21] And this commandment have we () from him , That he who loveth () God love () his brother also .

Young’s Literal Translation

1 John 4 (YLT)

[1] Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;
[2] in this know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that doth confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is,
[3] and every spirit that doth not confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is not; and this is that of the antichrist, which ye heard that it doth come, and now in the world it is already.
[4] Ye-of God ye are, little children, and ye have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.
[5] They-of the world they are; because of this from the world they speak, and the world doth hear them;
[6] we-of God we are; he who is knowing God doth hear us; he who is not of God, doth not hear us; from this we know the spirit of the truth, and the spirit of the error.
[7] Beloved, may we love one another, because the love is of God, and every one who is loving, of God he hath been begotten, and doth know God;
[8] he who is not loving did not know God, because God is love.
[9] In this was manifested the love of God in us, because His Son-the only begotten-hath God sent to the world, that we may live through him;
[10] in this is the love, not that we loved God, but that He did love us, and did send His Son a propitiation for our sins.
[11] Beloved, if thus did God love us, we also ought one another to love;
[12] God no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another, God in us doth remain, and His love is having been perfected in us;
[13] in this we know that in Him we do remain, and He in us, because of His Spirit He hath given us.
[14] And we-we have seen and do testify, that the Father hath sent the Son-Saviour of the world;
[15] whoever may confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God in him doth remain, and he in God;
[16] and we-we have known and believed the love, that God hath in us; God is love, and he who is remaining in the love, in God he doth remain, and God in him.
[17] In this made perfect hath been the love with us, that boldness we may have in the day of the judgment, because even as He is, we-we also are in this world;
[18] fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;
[19] we-we love him, because He-He first loved us;
[20] if any one may say-‘I love God,’ and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God-whom he hath not seen-how is he able to love?
[21] and this is the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.