1 John 4:1-6 English Standard Version
Test the Spirits
4 Beloved, (A)do not believe every spirit, but (B)test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for (C)many (D)false prophets (E)have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: (F)every spirit that confesses that (G)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit (H)that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and (I)now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for (J)he who is in you is greater than (K)he who is in the world. 5 (L)They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and (M)the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. (N)Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (O)the Spirit of truth and (P)the spirit of error.
Read full chapterCross references
- 1 John 4:1 : Jer. 29:8
- 1 John 4:1 : 1 Thess. 5:21; [1 Cor. 12:10; 14:29; Rev. 2:2]
- 1 John 4:1 : See ch. 2:18
- 1 John 4:1 : 2 Pet. 2:1
- 1 John 4:1 : 2 John 7
- 1 John 4:2 : [1 Cor. 12:3]
- 1 John 4:2 : 2 John 7
- 1 John 4:3 : ch. 2:22; 2 John 7
- 1 John 4:3 : ch. 2:18; [2 Thess. 2:3-7]
- 1 John 4:4 : See Rom. 8:31
- 1 John 4:4 : [1 Cor. 2:12]; See John 12:31
- 1 John 4:5 : John 3:31; 8:23
- 1 John 4:5 : John 15:19
- 1 John 4:6 : [John 8:47; 10:16; 18:37; 1 Cor. 14:37]
- 1 John 4:6 : John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13
- 1 John 4:6 : [1 Cor. 2:12; 1 Tim. 4:1]
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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