Philippians 1:10
New English Translation
10 so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,
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1 Thessalonians 5:21
New English Translation
21 But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.
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2 Thessalonians 2:2
New English Translation
2 not to be easily[a] shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us,[b] to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.
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- 2 Thessalonians 2:2 tn Or “quickly, soon.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:2 tn Grk “as through us.”
1 John 4:1
New English Translation
Testing the Spirits
4 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit,[a] but test[b] the spirits[c] to determine[d] if they are from God, because many false prophets[e] have gone out into the world.
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- 1 John 4:1 sn 1 John 4:1-6. These verses form one of three units within 1 John that almost all interpreters consider a single unit and do not divide up (the other two are 2:12-14 and 15-17). The subject matter is so clearly different from the surrounding context that these clearly constitute separate units of thought. Since the Holy Spirit is not the only spirit active in the world, the author needs to qualify for the recipients how to tell if a spirit comes from God. The “test” is the confession in 4:2.
- 1 John 4:1 tn According to BDAG 255 s.v. δοκιμάζω 1 the verb means “to make a critical examination of someth. to determine genuineness, put to the test, examine.”
- 1 John 4:1 sn Test the spirits. Since in the second half of the present verse the author mentions “false prophets” who have “gone out into the world,” it appears highly probable that his concept of testing the spirits is drawn from the OT concept of testing a prophet to see whether he is a false prophet or a true one. The procedure for testing a prophet is found in Deut 13:2-6 and 18:15-22. An OT prophet was to be tested on the basis of (a) whether or not his predictive prophecies came true (Deut 18:22) and (b) whether or not he advocated idolatry (Deut 13:1-3). In the latter case the people of Israel are warned that even if the prophet should perform an authenticating sign or wonder, his truth or falsity is still to be judged on the basis of his claims, that is, whether or not he advocates idolatry. Here in 1 John the idea of “testing the spirits” comes closer to the second OT example of “testing the prophets” mentioned above. According to 1 John 4:2-3, the spirits are to be tested on the basis of their christological confession: The person motivated by the Spirit of God will confess Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh, while the person motivated by the spirit of deceit will not confess Jesus and is therefore not from God. This comes close to the idea expressed by Paul in 1 Cor 12:3 where the person speaking charismatic utterances is also to be judged on the basis of his christological confession: “So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is cursed,’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”
- 1 John 4:1 tn The phrase “to determine” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.
- 1 John 4:1 tn “False prophets” refers to the secessionist opponents (compare 2:19).
1 Corinthians 2:14
New English Translation
14 The unbeliever[a] does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
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- 1 Corinthians 2:14 tn Grk “natural person.” Cf. BDAG 1100 s.v. ψυχικός a, “an unspiritual pers., one who merely functions bodily, without being touched by the Spirit of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:15
New English Translation
15 The one who is spiritual discerns[a] all things, yet he himself is understood[b] by no one.
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- 1 Corinthians 2:15 tn Or “evaluates.”
- 1 Corinthians 2:15 tn Or “is evaluated” (i.e., “is subject to evaluation”); Grk “he himself is discerned,” that is, the person without the Spirit does not understand the person with the Spirit, particularly in relation to the life of faith.
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