New American Standard Bible 1995
1 John 4:1
11Beloved, do not believe every 2spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because 3many 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
Beloved, 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. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and 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
- Belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
- do not believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- to see whetherεἰei · ifG1487
- they are from Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- falseψευδοπροφήτηςpseudoprophētēs · false prophetG5578
- have goneἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- out into the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
Cross-references for 1 John 4:1
- Deuteronomy 13:1“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
- Proverbs 14:15The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps.
- Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?
- Jeremiah 29:8For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream.
- Matthew 7:15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
- Matthew 24:4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
- Romans 16:18For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
- 2 Peter 2:1But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
- Luke 12:57“And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?
- Acts 17:11Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
- Romans 16:19For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
- 1 Corinthians 14:29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
- Revelation 2:2‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;
- 1 John 2:18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
- Matthew 24:5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead 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
Notes
- 1. 1 John 4:1 3 John 11 ↩
- 2. 1 John 4:1 Jer 29:8; 1 Cor 12:10; 1 Thess 5:20f; 2 Thess 2:2 ↩
- 3. 1 John 4:1 Jer 14:14; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 John 2:18 ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries