English Standard Version
1 John 4:3
3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
1 John 4:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
- New International Version (NIV)but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.
Context of 1 John 4:3
1Beloved, 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. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
Read all of 1 John 41 John 4:3 word by word
καὶ πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ μὴ ὁμολογεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν· καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου ὃ ἀκηκόατε ὅτι ἔρχεται καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν ἤδη.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- confessethὁμολογέωhomologeō · to confess/professG3670
- notμήmē · notG3361
- that Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- that JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- is comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- of antichristἀντίχριστοςantichristos · antichristG500
- ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- even nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
- alreadyἤδηēdē · alreadyG2235
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
Cross-references for 1 John 4:3
- 1 John 2:18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.
- 2 John 1:7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Commentaries on 1 John 4:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Every spirit - Every teacher, that confesseth not Jesus, is not of God - has not been inspired by God. The words , is come in the flesh, are wanting in AB, several others, both the Syriac, the Polyglot Arabic, Ethiopic, Coptic, Armenian, and Vulgate; in Origen, Cyril, Theodoret, Irenaeus, and others. Griesbach has left them out of the text. Spirit of antichrist - All the opponents of Christ's incarnation, and consequently of his passion, death, and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And every spirit that confesseth not - That is, this doctrine is essential to the Christian system; and he who does not hold it cannot be regarded either as a Christian, or recognised as a Christian teacher. If he was not a man, then all that occurred in his life, in Gethsemane, and on the cross, was in “appearance” only, and was assumed only to delude the senses. There were no real sufferings; there was no shedding of blood; there was no death on the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6Those who belong to God can tell the difference between spiritual truth and error (4:4). The presence of the Holy Spirit teaches them (3:23–24; see 2:20, 27; John 14:15–26; 16:5–15). Yet John gives clear tests that Christians can use so that there will be no confusion. These tests are a beginning point for identifying true teachers, not a complete list. John designed them to answer the false teachings that were spreading in the churches of the people he…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh--Irenæus [3.8], Lucifer, Origen, on Mt 25:14, and Vulgate read, "Every spirit which destroys (sets aside, or does away with) Jesus (Christ)." Cyprian and Polycarp support English Version text. The oldest extant manuscripts, which are, however, centuries after Polycarp, read, "Every spirit that confesseth not (that is, refuses to confess) Jesus" (in His person, and all His offices and divinity)…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 John 4:3
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries