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 G27, believe G4100 (PresActImpr) not G3361 every G3956 spirit G4151, but G235 try G1381 (PresActImpr) the spirits G4151 whether G1487 they are G2076 (PresInd) of G1537 God G2316: because G3754 many G4183 false prophets G5578 are gone out G1831 (PerfActInd) into G1519 the world G2889.
[2] Hereby G1722 G3739 G5129 know ye G1097 (PresActInd) (PresActImpr) the Spirit G4151 of God G2316: Every G3956 spirit G4151 that confesseth G3670 (PresActInd) that Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 is come G2064 (Perf2ActPtc) in G1722 the flesh G4561 is G2076 (PresInd) of G1537 God G2316:
[3] And G2532 every G3956 spirit G4151 that G3739 confesseth G3670 (PresActInd) not G3361 that Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 is come G2064 (Perf2ActPtc) in G1722 the flesh G4561 is G2076 (PresInd) not G3756 of G1537 God G2316: and G2532 this G5124 is G2076 (PresInd) that [spirit] of antichrist G500, whereof G3739 ye have heard G191 (Perf2ActInd) that G3754 it should come G2064 (PresMidPasDepInd); and even G2532 now G3568 already G2235 is it G2076 (PresInd) in G1722 the world G2889.
[4] Ye G5210 are G2075 (PresInd) of G1537 God G2316, little children G5040, and G2532 have overcome G3528 (PerfActInd) them G846: because G3754 greater G3187 is he that is G2076 (PresInd) in G1722 you G5213, than G2228 he that is in G1722 the world G2889.
[5] They G846 are G1526 (PresInd) of G1537 the world G2889: therefore G1223 G5124 speak they G2980 (PresActInd) of G1537 the world G2889, and G2532 the world G2889 heareth G191 (PresActInd) them G846.
[6] We G2249 are G2070 (PresInd) of G1537 God G2316: he that knoweth G1097 (PresActPtc) God G2316 heareth G191 (PresActInd) us G2257; he that G3739 is G2076 (PresInd) not G3756 of G1537 God G2316 heareth G191 (PresActInd) not G3756 us G2257. Hereby G1537 G5127 know we G1097 (PresActInd) the spirit G4151 of truth G225, and G2532 the spirit G4151 of error G4106.
[7] Beloved G27, let us love G25 (PresActSubj) one another G240: for G3754 love G26 is G2076 (PresInd) of G1537 God G2316; and G2532 every one G3956 that loveth G25 (PresActPtc) is born G1080 (PerfPasInd) of G1537 God G2316, and G2532 knoweth G1097 (PresActInd) God G2316.
[8] He that loveth G25 (PresActPtc) not G3361 knoweth G1097 (Aor2ActInd) not G3756 God G2316; for G3754 God G2316 is G2076 (PresInd) love G26.
[9] In G1722 this G5129 was manifested G5319 (AorPasInd) the love G26 of God G2316 toward G1722 us G2254, because G3754 that God G2316 sent G649 (PerfActInd) his G846 only begotten G3439 Son G5207 into G1519 the world G2889, that G2443 we might live G2198 (AorActSubj) through G1223 him G846.
[10] Herein G1722 G5129 is G2076 (PresInd) love G26, not G3754 that G3756 we G2249 loved G25 (AorActInd) God G2316, but G235 that G3754 he G846 loved G25 (AorActInd) us G2248, and G2532 sent G649 (AorActInd) his G846 Son G5207 [to be] the propitiation G2434 for G4012 our G2257 sins G266.
[11] Beloved G27, if G1487 God G2316 so G3779 loved G25 (AorActInd) us G2248, we G2249 ought G3784 (PresActInd) also G2532 to love G25 (PresActInf) one another G240.
[12] No man G3762 hath seen G2300 (PerfMidPasDepInd) God G2316 at any time G4455. If G1437 we love G25 (PresActSubj) one another G240, God G2316 dwelleth G3306 (PresActInd) in G1722 us G2254, and G2532 his G846 love G26 is G2076 (PresInd) perfected G5048 (PerfPasPtc) in G1722 us G2254.
[13] Hereby G1722 G5129 know we G1097 (PresActInd) that G3754 we dwell G3306 (PresActInd) in G1722 him G846, and G2532 he G846 in G1722 us G2254, because G3754 he hath given G1325 (PerfActInd) us G2254 of G1537 his G846 Spirit G4151.
[14] And G2532 we G2249 have seen G2300 (PerfMidPasDepInd) and G2532 do testify G3140 (PresActInd) that G3754 the Father G3962 sent G649 (PerfActInd) the Son G5207 [to be] the Saviour G4990 of the world G2889.
[15] Whosoever G3739 G302 shall confess G3670 (AorActSubj) that G3754 Jesus G2424 is G2076 (PresInd) the Son G5207 of God G2316, God G2316 dwelleth G3306 (PresActInd) in G1722 him G846, and G2532 he G846 in G1722 God G2316.
[16] And G2532 we G2249 have known G1097 (PerfActInd) and G2532 believed G4100 (PerfActInd) the love G26 that G3739 God G2316 hath G2192 (PresActInd) to G1722 us G2254. God G2316 is G2076 (PresInd) love G26; and G2532 he that dwelleth G3306 (PresActPtc) in G1722 love G26 dwelleth G3306 (PresActInd) in G1722 God G2316, and G2532 God G2316 in G1722 him G846.
[17] Herein G1722 G5129 is our G3326 G2257 love G26 made perfect G5048 (PerfPasInd), that G2443 we may have G2192 (PresActSubj) boldness G3954 in G1722 the day G2250 of judgment G2920: because G3754 as G2531 he G1565 is G2076 (PresInd), so G2532 are G2070 (PresInd) we G2249 in G1722 this G5129 world G2889.
[18] There is G2076 (PresInd) no G3756 fear G5401 in G1722 love G26; but G235 perfect G5046 love G26 casteth G906 (PresActInd) out G1854 fear G5401: because G3754 fear G5401 hath G2192 (PresActInd) torment G2851. G1161 He that feareth G5399 (PresMidPasDepPtc) is G5048 not G3756 made perfect G5048 (PerfPasInd) in G1722 love G26.
[19] We G2249 love G25 (PresActInd) (PresActSubj) him G846, because G3754 he G846 first G4413 loved G25 (AorActInd) us G2248.
[20] If G1437 a man G5100 say G2036 (Aor2ActSubj), G3754 I love G25 (PresActInd) God G2316, and G2532 hateth G3404 (PresActSubj) his G846 brother G80, he is G2076 (PresInd) a liar G5583: for G1063 he that loveth G25 (PresActPtc) not G3361 his G846 brother G80 whom G3739 he hath seen G3708 (PerfActInd), how G4459 can G1410 (PresMidPasDepInd) he love G25 (PresActInf) God G2316 whom G3739 he hath G3708 not G3756 seen G3708 (PerfActInd)?
[21] And G2532 this G5026 commandment G1785 have we G2192 (PresActInd) from G575 him G846, That G2443 he who loveth G25 (PresActPtc) God G2316 love G25 (PresActSubj) his G846 brother G80 also G2532.
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.