1st John Chapter 4 verse 1 Holy Bible
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
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My loved ones, do not put your faith in every spirit, but put them to the test, to see if they are from God: because a great number of false prophets have gone out into the world.
read chapter 4 in BBE
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, if they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
read chapter 4 in DARBY
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
read chapter 4 in KJV
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Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
read chapter 4 in WEB
Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;
read chapter 4 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 1-1 John 5:12. - (2) The source of son-ship. Possession of the Spirit. Verses 1-6. - Confession of the Incarnation is the assurance that the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of truth, is working in us, and not the spirit of error. The passage seems clearly to teach that there are two rival influences contending for power over the spirits of men. We must test men's spirits to see whether they are organs of the Spirit of truth or of the spirit of error. Verse 1. - Beloved (as in 1 John 2:28 and 1 John 3:18, the apostle again breaks out with a personal appeal into an earnest exhortation suggested by the statement just made), prove the spirits δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα. "The spirits" are principles and tendencies in religion: these need to be tested, for earnestness and fervour are no guarantee of truth. And to test these principles is the duty of the individual Christian as well as of the Church in its official capacity. Just as every Athenian was subjected to an examination δοκιμασία as to his origin and character before he could hold office, so the spirit of every religious teacher must be examined before his teaching can be accepted. This is no useless precaution; because, as Christ has come forth ἐξελήλυθε from God (John 16:28; comp. John 8:42; John 13:3; John 16:27), ninny false prophets have come forth ἐζεληύθασι from the spirit of error. But perhaps "have gone forth into the world" means no more than " have displayed themselves" in publicum prodierunt. There is probably no reference to the false teachers having "gone forth from us" (1 John 2:19). Besides Cerinthus and other Gnostics, there were the Nicolaitanes, astrologers, professors of magic, and dealers in charms, some of which seem to have had their origin in Ephesus, for they were known as "Ephesian letters." Apollonius of Tyana was eagerly welcomed at Ephesus, and it is not impossible that his visit took place during St. John's lifetime.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersIV.(6) NOT ALL SPIRITS ARE THE RESULT OF THE SONSHIP: NECESSITY OF EXAMINING THEM (1John 4:1-6).(a)The difference among spirits (1John 4:1).(b)The measure (1John 4:2-3).(c)The encouragement (1John 4:4). . . .
