Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
and every spirit that {Some ancient authorities read annulleth Jesus.}confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.
Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them.
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Herein was the love of God manifested {Or, in our case}in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:
hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.
And we know and have believed the love which God hath {Or, in our case}in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.
Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love, because he first loved us.
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, {Many ancient authorities read how can he love God whom he hath not seen?}cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
Querverweise zu 1. Johannes 4,1 1Joh 4,1
If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder,
and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he hath spoken {Hebrew: turning aside.}rebellion against Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, to draw thee aside out of the way which Jehovah thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
The simple believeth every word;But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.
the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule {Or, at their hands}by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe {Or, him}it not.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Behold, I have told you beforehand.
If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe {Or, them}it not.
For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye {Or, dream}cause to be dreamed.
And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others {Greek: discriminate.}discern.
And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe {Or, him}it not:
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah.
{Many ancient authorities insert but.}prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
I know thy works, and thy toil and {Or, stedfastness}patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;
I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock;
By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.
But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.
But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in {Or, sects of perdition}destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.
For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in {Or, sects of perdition}destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.