Test the Spirits
1 Beloved, tdo not believe every spirit, but utest the spirits to see whether they are from God, for vmany wfalse prophets xhave gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: yevery spirit that confesses that zJesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit athat does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and bnow is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for che who is in you is greater than dhe who is in the world. 5 eThey are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and fthe world listens to them. 6 We are from God. gWhoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know hthe Spirit of truth and ithe spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, jlet us love one another, for love is from God, and kwhoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 lAnyone who does not love does not know God, because mGod is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that nGod sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, onot that we have loved God nbut that he loved us and sent his Son to be pthe propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 qNo one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and rhis love is perfected in us.
13 sBy this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And twe have seen and testify that uthe Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of vthe world. 15 wWhoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So xwe have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. yGod is love, and zwhoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this ais love perfected with us, so that bwe may have confidence for the day of judgment, because cas he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but dperfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not abeen perfected in love. 19 eWe love because he first loved us. 20 fIf anyone says, “I love God,” and ghates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot1 love God hwhom he has not seen. 21 And ithis commandment we have from him: jwhoever loves God must also love his brother.
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when vNathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
according to your steadfast love;
according to your xabundant mercy
yblot out my transgressions.
2 zWash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and acleanse me from my sin!
3 bFor I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 cAgainst you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil din your sight,
eso that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, fI was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in gthe inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me hwith hyssop, and I shall be clean;
zwash me, and I shall be iwhiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
jlet the bones kthat you have broken rejoice.
9 lHide your face from my sins,
and yblot out all my iniquities.
10 mCreate in me a nclean heart, O God,
and orenew a right2 spirit within me.
11 pCast me not away from your presence,
and take not qyour Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will rreturn to you.
14 Deliver me from sbloodguiltiness, O God,
O tGod of my salvation,
and umy tongue will sing aloud of your vrighteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 wFor you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are xa broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 yDo good to Zion in your good pleasure;
zbuild up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in aright sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and bwhole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
