---
title: "Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles"
author: "John Calvin"
translator: "John Owen"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 97 of 107
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentaries-on-the-catholic-epistles/97/
cite: "John Calvin, tr. John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles, section 97. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentaries-on-the-catholic-epistles/97/"
---

# Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles

*John Calvin, tr. John Owen*

Calvin on James, Peter, John and Jude.

## 97. Chapter 4

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentaries-on-the-catholic-epistles/97/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentaries-on-the-catholic-epistles/97/#p-N

[¶0] 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

[¶1] 2 By this know ye the Spirit of God, — Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is from God;

[¶2] 3 And 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.

[¶3] 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

[¶4] 5 They are of the world; therefore of the world do they speak, and the world heareth them.

[¶5] 6 We 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.

[¶6] 7 Beloved, let us love one another; because love is from God; and every one who loveth has been born of God, and knoweth God.

[¶7] 8 He who loveth not, knoweth not God, because God is love.

[¶8] 9 In 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.

[¶9] 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that God has loved us and sent his Son a propitiation for our sins.

[¶10] 11 Beloved, if God has so loved us, we ought also to hive one another.

[¶11] 12 No one hath ever seen God: if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

[¶12] 13 By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

[¶13] 14 And we have seen and do testify, that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

[¶14] 15 He who shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

[¶15] 16 And 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.

[¶16] 17 By 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.

[¶17] 18 Fear is not in love: but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment; and he who fears, has not been perfected in love.

[¶18] 19 We love him, because he has first loved us.

[¶19] 20 If 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?

[¶20] 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.