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Bible / 1 John

1 John 4

Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (1749–1752), the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. If you read a modern Bible, this is the same Scripture in older English; some names are spelled differently (Cesarea for Caesarea, Apocalypse for Revelation). About this translation

1 Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Fathers

2 By this is the spirit of God known. Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: CCC · Fathers

3 And every spirit that dissolveth Jesus is not of God. And this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh: and he is now already in the world. Fathers

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5 They are of the world. Therefore of the world they speak: and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. He that is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

7 Dearly beloved, let us love one another: for charity is of God. And every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is charity. CCC

9 By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.

10 In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins. CCC

11 My dearest, if God hath so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us: and his charity is perfected in us.

13 In this we know that we abide in him, and he in us: because he hath given us of his spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father hath sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and have believed the charity which God hath to us. God is charity: and he that abideth in charity abideth in God, and God in him. CCC

17 In this is the charity of God perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment: because as he is, we also are in this world.

18 Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth is not perfected in charity.

19 Let us therefore love God: because God first hath loved us. CCC

20 If any man say: I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?

21 And this commandment we have from God, that he who loveth God love also his brother.

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

  1. Verse 1
    Read the Fathers

    • “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 which separates Jesus Christ is not of God, but is of antichrist.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  2. Verse 2CCC 423
    Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 423 “We believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth, born a Jew of a daughter of Israel at Bethlehem at the time of…”

    • “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 which separates Jesus Christ is not of God, but is of antichrist.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  3. Verse 3
    Read the Fathers

    • “For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist;”

      Quoted in Letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (early 2nd century), Chapter VII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  4. Verse 8CCC 733 CCC 1604
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 733 “God is Love" and love is his first gift, containing all others. "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the…”
    • CCC 1604 “God who created man out of love also calls him to love the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For…”
  5. Verse 10CCC 614 CCC 1428
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 614 “This sacrifice of Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices. First, it is a gift from God the Father…”
    • CCC 1428 “Christ's call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. This second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole…”
  6. Verse 16CCC 733 CCC 1604
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 733 “God is Love" and love is his first gift, containing all others. "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the…”
    • CCC 1604 “God who created man out of love also calls him to love the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For…”
  7. Verse 19CCC 1828
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1828 “The practice of the moral life animated by charity gives to the Christian the spiritual freedom of the children of God. He…”
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A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.