² By this you know the Spirit of God: ^(A)Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess ^[a]that Jesus ^[b]Christ 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.

^13 (A)By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴ And ^(B)we have seen and testify that ^(C)the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. ^15 (D)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and ^(E)he who abides in love abides in God, and God ^(F)in him.

The Consummation of Love

¹⁷ Love has been perfected among us in this: that ^(G)we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

⁴ For ^(A)whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that ^(B)has overcome the world—^[a]our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but ^(C)he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?