| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. | 1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have 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: | 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from 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. | 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already 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. | 4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. |
| 5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. | 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to 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. | 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. |
| 7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. | 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. |
| 8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. | 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because 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. | 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only 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. | 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. |
| 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. | 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought 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. | 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. |
| 13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. | 13This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has 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. | 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. |
| 15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. | 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they 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. | 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. |
| 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. | 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. |
| 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. | 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. |
| 19We love him, because he first loved us. | 19We love 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? | 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. |
| 21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. | 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. |
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