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。

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.