1 John 4:2

1 John 4:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
• New International Version (NIV)This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
• English Standard Version (ESV)By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

Context of 1 John 4:2

1Dear friends, don’t believe all people who say that they have the Spirit. Instead, test them. See whether the spirit they have is from God, because there are many false prophets in the world. This is how you can recognize God’s Spirit: Every person who declares that Jesus Christ has come as a human has the Spirit that is from God. 3But every person who doesn’t declare that Jesus Christ has come as a human has a spirit that isn’t from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that you have heard is coming. That spirit is already in the world. 4Dear children, you belong to God. So you have won the victory over these people, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:2 word by word

ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκετε τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ· πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ ὁμολογεῖ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Herebyἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• Herebyοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• know yeγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• the Spiritὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• confesseth thatὁμολογέωhomologeō · to confess/professG3670
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• is comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537

Cross-references for 1 John 4:2

• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born from God. Everyone who loves the Father also loves his children.
• John 16:13When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into the full truth. He won’t speak on his own. He will speak what he hears and will tell you about things to come.
• 1 Corinthians 12:3So I want you to know that no one speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is cursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
• 1 John 4:3But every person who doesn’t declare that Jesus Christ has come as a human has a spirit that isn’t from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that you have heard is coming. That spirit is already in the world.
• John 1:14The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindness and truth.
• 1 Timothy 3:16The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great: He appeared in his human nature, was approved by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was announced throughout the nations, was believed in the world, and was taken to heaven in glory.

Commentaries on 1 John 4:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God - We know that the man who teaches that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, and that he is come in the flesh, is of God - is inspired by the Divine Spirit; for no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Hereby - Greek, “By this;” that is, by the test which is immediately specified. Know ye the Spirit of God - You may discern who are actuated by the Spirit of God. Every spirit - Everyone professing to be under the influence of the Spirit of God. The apostle uses the word “spirit” here with reference to the person who made the claim, on the supposition that everyone professing to be a religious teacher was animated by some spirit or foreign influence, good…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2By this you will know the Spirit of God: If someone claims to be a prophet, John provides a test for them. True prophets and teachers, guided by the Spirit of God, confess that Jesus Christ came in a real body ("in the flesh"). This means they must confirm that Jesus is both fully human and fully God. Those who deny these basic teachings are antichrists (2:18). Some false teachers in John’s time, called Docetists, taught that Jesus only appeared to have a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Hereby--"Herein." know ... the Spirit of God--whether he be, or not, in those teachers professing to be moved by Him. Every spirit--that is, Every teacher claiming inspiration by the Holy Spirit. confesseth--The truth is taken for granted as established. Man is required to confess it, that is, in his teaching to profess it openly. Jesus Christ is come in the flesh--a twofold truth confessed, that Jesus is the Christ, and that He is come (the Greek…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 John 4:2

• Confession
• Holy Spirit
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Jesus Christ
• Benevolence
• Fear
• Love

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