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. Johannes 4
Prøv åndene!
1 Mine kjære, tro ikke enhver ånd! Prøv åndene om de er av Gud! For det er gått mange falske profeter ut i verden. t 2 Guds Ånd kjenner dere på dette: Hver ånd som bekjenner at Jesus Kristus er kommet i kjøtt og blod, er av Gud. t
3 Men enhver ånd som ikke bekjenner Jesus, er ikke av Gud. Det er Antikristens ånd, som dere har hørt skal komme. Og den er allerede nå i verden.t
4 Men dere, mine barn, er av Gud og har seiret over dem. For han som er i dere, er større enn han som er i verden. t 5 De er av verden, derfor er deres tale av verden, og verden lytter til dem. t
6 Men vi er av Gud, og den som kjenner Gud, hører på oss; den som ikke er av Gud, hører ikke på oss. Slik kan vi skjelne mellom sannhetens ånd og villfarelsens ånd.tGud er kjærlighet
7 Mine kjære, la oss elske hverandre! For kjærligheten er fra Gud, og den som elsker, er født av Gud og kjenner Gud. t 8 Den som ikke elsker, har aldri kjent Gud, for Gud er kjærlighet. t 9 Og Guds kjærlighet ble åpenbart blant oss da han sendte sin enbårne Sønn til verden for at vi skulle ha liv ved ham. t 10 Kjærligheten er ikke det at vi har elsket Gud, men at han har elsket oss og sendt sin Sønn til soning for våre synder. t 11 Mine kjære, har Gud elsket oss slik, da skylder også vi å elske hverandre. t
12 Ingen har noen gang sett Gud; men dersom vi elsker hverandre, blir Gud i oss, og hans kjærlighet er fullendt i oss.t
13 At vi blir i ham og han i oss, det vet vi fordi han har gitt oss av sin Ånd. t 14 Vi har sett og vitner om at Faderen har sendt Sønnen som verdens frelser. t 15 Den som bekjenner at Jesus er Guds Sønn, i ham blir Gud, og han selv blir i Gud. t
16 Vi har lært å kjenne den kjærlighet Gud har til oss, og vi har trodd på den. Gud er kjærlighet, og den som blir i kjærligheten, blir i Gud, og Gud i ham.t
17 Kjærlighetens mål med oss er at vi skal ha frimodighet på dommens dag; for vi er slik som han er, midt i denne verden. I kjærligheten finnes det ikke frykt; t 18 den fullkomne kjærlighet driver frykten ut. For frykten bærer straffen i seg, og i den som frykter, er ikke kjærligheten fullendt. t 19 Vi elsker fordi han elsket oss først. t 20 Om noen sier at han elsker Gud, men likevel hater sin bror, da er han en løgner. For den som ikke elsker sin bror som han har sett, han kan ikke elske Gud som han ikke har sett. t 21 Og dette er det bud vi har fra ham: Den som elsker Gud, må også elske sin bror.t