1 John – Chapter 4

New Testament • 21 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 4 of 1 John begins: "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." Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: love and charity and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

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

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

3And 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.

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

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

6We 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.

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

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

9By 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.

10In 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.

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

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

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

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

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

16And 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.

17In 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.

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

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

20If 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?

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

Important Verses in 1 John 4

“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.”

1 John 4:1

“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.”

1 John 4:6

“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.”

1 John 4:10

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

1 John 4:21

Historical Context

1 John belongs to the New Testament and was composed for the churches of Asia, anchored in the truth of the Incarnation and in love. Chapter 4 of 5 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a apostolic teaching addressed to a Christian community with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The passage starts with these words: "Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone…" The chapter ends with: "And this commandment we have from God, that he who loveth God love also his brother. " The wider setting of 1 John is this: Written against early heretics who denied that Christ truly came in the flesh, this letter gives the Church its tests of authentic faith: right belief in the incarnate Son, obedience to the commandments, and love of the… Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of 1 John around About AD 90-100, at Ephesus.

Who Wrote It

The Apostle John, author of the fourth Gospel

When It Was Written

About AD 90-100, at Ephesus

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this chapter addresses specific questions facing early Christian communities. A pivotal line is verse 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." The passage repeatedly touches on love and charity.

Catholic exegesis reads 1 John 4 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. John's teaching on love grounds Catholic spirituality (CIC 1828). St. John Damascene and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 2559).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: Love of God and love of neighbor sum up the whole law and reveal the very nature of God.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • ✓Love of God and love of neighbor sum up the whole law and reveal the very nature of God.
  • ✓The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • ✓The Holy Spirit is the giver of life who animates creation, the prophets, and the Church.

Reflection for Today

In 1 John Chapter 4, the Church invites us to listen attentively to God's Word within the broader narrative of God is love and walking in the light.

The Second Vatican Council reminded the faithful that Scripture should permeate Catholic spirituality (Dei Verbum, 21-26). 1 John Chapter 4 supports that call by drawing attention to purity of heart and interior conversion within the wider message that God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God.

As you continue through 1 John, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1 John Chapter 4 about?

1 John 4 contains 21 verses. It opens with "Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone…" and closes with "And this commandment we have from God, that he who loveth God love also his brother. ". The book as a whole is epistle.

What is a key verse in 1 John 4?

One of the most significant verses is verse 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." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote 1 John and when?

The Apostle John, author of the fourth Gospel. About AD 90-100, at Ephesus.

Related Chapters

2 Samuel 1Shares people and themes with this chapter

Prayers Related to This Chapter

🙏Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love🙏Litany of the Sacred Heart🙏Prayer for the Family🙏Novena to the Holy Family

📚 Continue Your Faith Journey

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