Christian Standard Bible
1 John 4:1
1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
- New International Version (NIV)Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Context of 1 John 4:1
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.
Read all of 1 John 41 John 4:1 word by word
Ἀγαπητοί, μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα εἰ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν, ὅτι πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
- believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- notμήmē · notG3361
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- tryδοκιμάζωdokimazō · to testG1381
- the spiritsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- whetherεἰei · ifG1487
- they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- false prophetsψευδοπροφήτηςpseudoprophētēs · false prophetG5578
- are gone outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
Cross-references for 1 John 4:1
- Deuteronomy 13:1“If a prophet or someone who has dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,
- Proverbs 14:15The inexperienced one believes anything, but the sensible one watches his steps.
- Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this. But what will you do at the end of it?
- Jeremiah 29:8For this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them,
- Matthew 7:15“Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.
- Matthew 24:4Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you.
- Romans 16:18because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.
- 2 Peter 2:1There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves.
- Luke 12:57“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
- Acts 17:11The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
- Romans 16:19The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.
- 1 Corinthians 14:29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21but test all things. Hold on to what is good.
- Revelation 2:2I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars.
- 1 John 2:18Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. By this we know that it is the last hour.
- Matthew 24:5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.
Commentaries on 1 John 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Beloved, believe not every spirit - Do not be forward to believe every teacher to be a man sent of God. As in those early times every teacher professed to be inspired by the Spirit of God, because all the prophets had come thus accredited, the term spirit was used to express the man who pretended to be and teach under the Spirit's influence. See 1 Corinthians 12:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1. Try the Spirits - · Put these teachers to the proof. Try them by that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Beloved, believe not every spirit - Do not confide implicitly in everyone who professes to be under the influences of the Holy Spirit. Compare Matthew 24:4-5. The true and the false teachers of religion alike claimed to be under the influence of the Spirit of God, and it was of importance that all such pretensions should be examined. It was not to be admitted because anyone claimed to have been sent from God that therefore he was sent. Every such claim…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Believers cautioned against giving heed to every one that pretends to the Spirit. (1-6) Brotherly love enforced. (7-21) Verses 1-6 Christians who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, may, in humble dependence on Divine teaching, discern those who set forth doctrines according to the apostles, and those who contradict them. The sum of revealed religion is in the doctrine concerning Christ, his person and office. The false teachers spake of the world…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1every spirit: The teachers who left John’s churches said they were prophets, but a true prophet is someone the Holy Spirit uses to bring his message (Acts 4:25; 1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 19:10). Every speaker should be tested by comparing their message with what the Holy Spirit has already said through the apostles (1 John 4:2–3, 6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-211Jo 4:1-21. Tests of False Prophets. Love, the Test of Birth from God, and the Necessary Fruit of Knowing His Great Love in Christ to Us. 1. Beloved--the affectionate address wherewith he calls their attention, as to an important subject. every spirit--which presents itself in the person of a prophet. The Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error, speak by men's spirits as their organs. There is but one Spirit of truth, and one spirit of Antichrist…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 4:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 John 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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