Test the Spirits

4 Beloved, ^(A)do not believe every spirit, but ^(B)test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for ^(C)many ^(D)false prophets ^(E)have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: ^(F)every spirit that confesses that ^(G)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit ^(H)that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and ^(I)now is in the world already. ⁴ Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for ^(J)he who is in you is greater than ^(K)he who is in the world. ^5 (L)They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and ^(M)the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. ^(N)Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know ^(O)the Spirit of truth and ^(P)the spirit of error.

God Is Love

⁷ Beloved, ^(Q)let us love one another, for love is from God, and ^(R)whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ^8 (S)Anyone who does not love does not know God, because ^(T)God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that ^(U)God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, ^(V)not that we have loved God ^(W)but that he loved us and sent his Son to be ^(X)the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ^12 (Y)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and ^(Z)his love is perfected in us.

^13 (AA)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And ^(AB)we have seen and testify that ^(AC)the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of ^(AD)the world. ^15 (AE)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So ^(AF)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. ^(AG)God is love, and ^(AH)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this ^(AI)is love perfected with us, so that ^(AJ)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because ^(AK)as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but ^(AL)perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not ^(AM)been perfected in love. ^19 (AN)We love because he first loved us. ^20 (AO)If anyone says, “I love God,” and ^(AP)hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot^[a] love God ^(AQ)whom he has not seen. ²¹ And ^(AR)this commandment we have from him: ^(AS)whoever loves God must also love his brother.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(A)a prisoner of Christ Jesus ^(B)on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of ^(C)the stewardship of ^(D)God's grace that was given to me for you, ^3 (E)how the mystery was made known to me ^(F)by revelation, ^(G)as I have written briefly. ^4 (H)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^(I)the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is^[a] that the Gentiles are ^(J)fellow heirs, ^(K)members of the same body, and ^(L)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

^7 (M)Of this gospel I was made ^(N)a minister according to the gift of ^(O)God's grace, which was given me ^(P)by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, ^(Q)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, ^(R)to preach to the Gentiles the ^(S)unsearchable ^(T)riches of Christ, ⁹ and ^(U)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^(V)hidden for ages in^[b] God, ^(W)who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold ^(X)wisdom of God ^(Y)might now be made known to ^(Z)the rulers and authorities ^(AA)in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was ^(AB)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have ^(AC)boldness and ^(AD)access with ^(AE)confidence through our ^(AF)faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^(AG)for you, ^(AH)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^(AI)every family^[c] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^(AJ)the riches of his glory ^(AK)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^(AL)in your inner being, ^17 (AM)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^(AN)rooted and ^(AO)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^(AP)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^(AQ)height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^(AR)that surpasses knowledge, that ^(AS)you may be filled with all ^(AT)the fullness of God.

^20 (AU)Now to ^(AV)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, ^(AW)according to the power at work within us, ^21 (AX)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.