independentrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
Test the spirits 4:1–6
vv. 1–3 — the confession criterion: come in the flesh
1
Ἀγαπητοί, μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε,independent — the prohibition — credulity forbidden
ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματαindependent — the counter-imperative — assay them
εἰ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν,content — indirect question — the test's object
ὅτι πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον.cause — the ground — the secession already under way
2
ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκετε τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ·independent — the ἐν τούτῳ formula — pointing forward to the twin tests
πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ ὁμολογεῖ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν,content — the positive test — ἐληλυθότα: the confession of the incarnate one
3
καὶ πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ μὴ ὁμολογεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν·content — the negative test — the antithesis pair completed
καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου,independent — the identification — τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου, the ellipse supplying πνεῦμα
ὃ ἀκηκόατε ὅτι ἔρχεται,relative — prolepsis — ὅ lifted out of the ὅτι clause into ἀκηκόατε
καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν ἤδη.independent — John's escalation — breaking out of the report: not coming but here
vv. 4–6 — you / they / we: two origins, two audiences
4
ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστε, τεκνία,independent — emphatic ὑμεῖς — the first of the triad of origins
καὶ νενικήκατε αὐτούς,independent — perfect — the victory stands won
ὅτι μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ ἐν ὑμῖν ἢ ὁ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ.cause — the ground — the indwelling one outweighs the world's
5
αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου εἰσίν·independent — emphatic αὐτοί — the second origin
διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλοῦσινindependent — the consequence — speech betrays source
καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν ἀκούει.independent — like speaks to like
6
ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐσμεν·independent — emphatic ἡμεῖς — the apostolic witness, the third origin
ὁ γινώσκων τὸν θεὸν ἀκούει ἡμῶν,independent — the hearing test, positive
ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἀκούει ἡμῶν.independent — headless relative as subject — asyndetic negative counterpart
ἐκ τούτου γινώσκομεν τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πλάνης.independent — the close — ἐκ τούτου, the section's only ἐκ-form of the formula
God is love — love one another 4:7–12
vv. 7–8 — love is from God; God is love
7
Ἀγαπητοί, ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους,independent — hortatory — the beloved called to love
ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν,cause — the ground — love's origin
καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται καὶ γινώσκει τὸν θεόν.independent — the corollary — begetting and knowledge in one breath
8
ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν θεόν,independent — the antithesis — aorist ἔγνω: never knew him at all
ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν.cause — the first thesis — articular subject, anarthrous predicate: God is love, not love God
vv. 9–10 — the manifestation: the Son sent
9
ἐν τούτῳ ἐφανερώθη ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν,independent — the formula again — ἐν ἡμῖν: among us, the sphere of the showing
ὅτι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἀπέσταλκεν ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸν κόσμονcontent — epexegetic ὅτι — τὸν μονογενῆ fronted; perfect ἀπέσταλκεν: sent and still standing sent
ἵνα ζήσωμεν δι' αὐτοῦ.purpose — the purpose — life through the Son
10
ἐν τούτῳ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη,independent — the definition announced
οὐχ ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἠγαπήκαμεν τὸν θεόν,content — the false definition denied — emphatic ἡμεῖς
ἀλλ' ὅτι αὐτὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶςcontent — the true definition — the initiative wholly his
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἱλασμὸν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν.content — coordinate in the ὅτι — ἱλασμόν in apposition: love defined by the atoning gift
vv. 11–12 — the obligation, and the unseen God made visible in love
11
Ἀγαπητοί, εἰ οὕτως ὁ θεὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς,conditional — protasis — leans on the obligation below; οὕτως: with that kind of love
καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶν.independent — apodosis — the debt of love
12
θεὸν οὐδεὶς πώποτε τεθέαται·independent — the axiom — θεόν fronted; echoing John 1:18
ἐὰν ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους,conditional — protasis — leans on the double apodosis below
ὁ θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν μένειindependent — apodosis — the unseen God present in mutual love
καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη αὐτοῦ τετελειωμένη ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν.independent — coordinate apodosis — periphrastic perfect: brought to its goal
The Spirit, the confession, and the abiding 4:13–16
13
Ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομενindependent — the formula — now for the assurance of abiding
ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ μένομεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν,content — the content — the second limb elliptical, mutual abiding
ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ δέδωκεν ἡμῖν.cause — τούτῳ unpacked — partitive ἐκ: a share of his own Spirit
14
καὶ ἡμεῖς τεθεάμεθα καὶ μαρτυροῦμενindependent — the eyewitness ἡμεῖς — echoing 1:1–2
ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ ἀπέσταλκεν τὸν υἱὸν σωτῆρα τοῦ κόσμου.content — the testimony — σωτῆρα, double-accusative predicate
15
ὃς ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃconditional — relative-protasis — ὃς ἐάν ≈ ἐάν τις; leans on the abiding below
ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ,content — the confession's content — the christological test restated
ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένειindependent — apodosis — the abiding formula
καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ θεῷ.independent — the reciprocal limb — verbless
16
καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐγνώκαμεν καὶ πεπιστεύκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπηνindependent — twin perfects — knowledge and faith with one object, the love
ἣν ἔχει ὁ θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν.relative — on τὴν ἀγάπην — ἐν ἡμῖν: toward and among us
ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν,independent — the thesis repeated (v. 8) — again articular subject, anarthrous predicate
καὶ ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐν τῷ θεῷ μένειindependent — the inference — to remain in love is to remain in God
καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει.independent — the reciprocity completed
Perfect love, fear, and the brother 4:17–21
vv. 17–18 — perfect love casts out fear
17
ἐν τούτῳ τετελείωται ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ' ἡμῶν,independent — ἐν τούτῳ read as pointing back to the mutual abiding of v. 16
ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως,purpose — the issue of perfected love — παρρησία before the judge
ὅτι καθὼς ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ.cause — grounds the boldness — καθὼς … καί: conformity to ἐκεῖνος (Christ) already now
18
φόβος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ,independent — the axiom — anarthrous φόβος fronted
ἀλλ' ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον,independent — the counter-statement — ἔξω βάλλει: expels it
ὅτι ὁ φόβος κόλασιν ἔχει,cause — the ground — κόλασιν ἔχει: fear carries punishment within it
ὁ δὲ φοβούμενος οὐ τετελείωται ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ.independent — the verdict — δέ turns back to the person: fear proves love unfinished
vv. 19–21 — we love because he first loved
19
ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν,independent — emphatic ἡμεῖς — indicative, not exhortation: the fact of our loving
ὅτι αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς.cause — the ground of all of it — πρῶτος: his priority, our response
20
ἐάν τις εἴπῃconditional — protasis — leans on the verdict below
ὅτι Ἀγαπῶ τὸν θεόν,content — the claim quoted — ὅτι recitativum
καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῇ,conditional — the protasis resumes — the claim and the hatred held together
ψεύστης ἐστίν·independent — apodosis — the verdict, John's harshest label (1:10; 2:4, 22)
ὁ γὰρ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν ἑώρακεν,independent — the ground — subject suspended, the seen brother in view
τὸν θεὸν ὃν οὐχ ἑώρακεν οὐ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν.independent — the resumption — fronted τὸν θεόν with the mirrored relative; οὐ δύναται: cannot
21
καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔχομεν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ,independent — the close — ταύτην pointing forward; ἀπ' αὐτοῦ: from God (or Christ)
ἵνα ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.content — epexegetic ἵνα — the commandment's content: the two loves made one
Analysis. 1 John 4 moves in John's signature short strokes, and the shape shows it: long flush-left purple columns of asyndetic main clauses — the you/they/we triads of vv. 4–6, the abiding formulas of vv. 15–16 — with the dependents hanging shallow (the page never goes deeper than two steps). The recurring hinge is the ἐν τούτῳ formula (vv. 2, 9, 10, 13, 17): each time, the epexegetic ὅτι- or clause-lines that unpack the 'this' hang directly beneath τούτῳ, so the eye can see the demonstrative being filled in. Olive protases lean forward on their apodoses four times (vv. 11, 12, 15, 20) — v. 15's ὃς ἐάν is laid out as a relative-protasis, and v. 20's protasis carries the quoted Ἀγαπῶ τὸν θεόν as indented content before the verdict ψεύστης ἐστίν lands back at the margin. Cruxes the layout takes a side on: in v. 3, καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν ἤδη is set as John's own flush-left escalation, breaking out of the ὃ ἀκηκόατε report — not merely 'coming', but already here; in v. 17, ἐν τούτῳ is read as pointing back to the mutual abiding of v. 16, with ἵνα giving the issue of perfected love (boldness at the judgment) and ὅτι grounding that boldness, not the perfecting; the twin theses ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν (vv. 8, 16) are tagged for the articular-subject/anarthrous-predicate point — the statement is not reversible; and the ἵνα of v. 21 is taken as epexegetic (the commandment's content), against the true purpose ἵνα of v. 9.