Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles

1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

2By this know ye the Spirit of God, — Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is from God;

3And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not from God; and this is the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he is to come, and he is now already in the world.

4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

5They are of the world; therefore of the world do they speak, and the world heareth them.

6We are of God; he who knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God, doth not hear us: by this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

7Beloved, let us love one another; because love is from God; and every one who loveth has been born of God, and knoweth God.

8He who loveth not, knoweth not God, because God is love.

9In this has appeared the love of God to us, that God has sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we may live through him.

10In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that God has loved us and sent his Son a propitiation for our sins.

11Beloved, if God has so loved us, we ought also to hive one another.

12No one hath ever seen God: if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

13By 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 has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15He who 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 love which God hath to us: God is love; and he who abideth in love, abideth in God, and God in him.

17By this has love in us been perfected, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world.

18Fear is not in love: but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment; and he who fears, has not been perfected in love.

19We love him, because he has first loved us.

20If any one say,“I love God,”and hate his neighbour, he is a liar; for he who loves not his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he sees not?

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