1 John 3:18–4:6

18 My little children, ylet us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we 4know zthat we are of the truth, and shall 5assure our hearts before Him. 20 aFor if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, bwe have confidence toward God. 22 And cwhatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments dand do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ eand love one another, as He gave 6us commandment.

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

24 Now fhe who keeps His commandments gabides in Him, and He in him. And hby this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but atest the spirits, whether they are of God; because bmany false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: cEvery spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess 1that Jesus 2Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than dhe who is in the world. 5 eThey are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and fthe world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. gBy this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.