1 John 4
1 BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.2 By this you may know (perceive and recognize) the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [actually] has become man and has come in the flesh is of God [has God for its source];3 And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [but would annul, destroy, sever, disunite Him] is not of God [does not proceed from Him]. This [nonconfession] is the [spirit] of the antichrist, [of] which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world.4 Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.5 They proceed from the world and are of the world; therefore it is out of the world [its whole economy morally considered] that they speak, and the world listens (pays attention) to them.6 We are [children] of God. Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us; and he who is not of God does not listen or pay attention to us. By this we know (recognize) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].8 He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.9 In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique [Son], into the world so 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 to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.11 Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another.12 No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!13 By this we come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we abide (live and remain) in Him and He in us: because He has given (imparted) to us of His [Holy] Spirit.14 And [besides] we ourselves have seen (have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated) and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [as the] Savior of the world.15 Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.16 And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.17 In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world.18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].19 We love Him, because He first loved us.20 If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen.21 And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also.
1 Jean 4
1 Bien-aimés, ne croyez pas tout esprit, mais éprouvez les esprits pour voir s'ils sont de Dieu, car beaucoup de faux prophètes sont sortis dans le monde.2 Par ceci vous connaissez l'Esprit de Dieu: tout esprit qui confesse Jésus Christ venu en chair est de Dieu,3 et tout esprit qui ne confesse pas Jésus Christ venu en chair n'est pas de Dieu; et ceci est l'esprit de l'antichrist, duquel vous avez ouï dire qu'il vient, et déjà maintenant il est dans le monde.
4 Pour vous, enfants, vous êtes de Dieu, et vous les avez vaincus, parce que celui qui est en vous est plus grand que celui qui est dans le monde.5 Pour eux, ils sont du monde; c'est pourquoi ils parlent selon les principes du monde, et le monde les écoute.6 Nous, nous sommes de Dieu; celui qui connaît Dieu nous écoute; celui qui n'est pas de Dieu ne nous écoute pas: à cela nous connaissons l'esprit de vérité et l'esprit d'erreur.
7 Bien-aimés, aimons-nous l'un l'autre, car l'amour est de Dieu, et quiconque aime est né de Dieu et connaît Dieu.8 Celui qui n'aime pas n'a pas connu Dieu, car Dieu est amour.9 En ceci a été manifesté l'amour de Dieu pour nous, c'est que Dieu a envoyé son Fils unique dans le monde, afin que nous vivions par lui;10 en ceci est l'amour, non en ce que nous, nous ayons aimé Dieu, mais en ce que lui nous aima et qu'il envoya son Fils pour être la propitiation pour nos péchés.11 Bien-aimés, si Dieu nous aima ainsi, nous aussi nous devons nous aimer l'un l'autre.12 Personne ne vit jamais Dieu; si nous nous aimons l'un l'autre, Dieu demeure en nous, et son amour est consommé en nous.13 Par ceci nous savons que nous demeurons en lui et lui en nous, c'est qu'il nous a donné de son Esprit;
14 et nous, nous avons vu et nous témoignons que le Père a envoyé le Fils pour être le Sauveur du monde.15 Quiconque confessera que Jésus est le Fils de Dieu, Dieu demeure en lui et lui en Dieu.16 Et nous avons connu et cru l'amour que Dieu a pour nous. Dieu est amour, et celui qui demeure dans l'amour, demeure en Dieu et Dieu en lui.
17 En ceci est consommé l'amour avec nous, afin que nous ayons toute assurance au jour du jugement, c'est que, comme il est, lui, nous sommes, nous aussi, dans ce monde.18 Il n'y a pas de crainte dans l'amour, mais l'amour parfait chasse la crainte, car la crainte porte avec elle du tourment; et celui qui craint n'est pas consommé dans l'amour.19 Nous, nous l'aimons parce que lui nous a aimés le premier.20 Si quelqu'un dit: J'aime Dieu, et q'il haïsse son frère, il est menteur; car celui qui n'aime pas son frère qu'il voit, comment peut-il aimer Dieu qu'il ne voit pas?21 Et nous avons ce commandement de sa part, que celui qui aime Dieu, aime aussi son frère.
