Devine Scripture
1 John 4

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1 John 4

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1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.

4Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

5They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them.

6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.

8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.

10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:

13hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

16And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.

17Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.

18There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19We love, because he first loved us.

20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.

21And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

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Parallel translations · 1 John 4:1

WEB · World English Bible (2000)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

KJV · King James Version (1611)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

ASV · American Standard Version (1901)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

BBE · Bible in Basic English (1949)

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.

YLT · Young's Literal Translation (1862)

Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;

DRA · Douay-Rheims (Challoner) (1752)

Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

DBY · Darby Bible (1890)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, if they are ofGod; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

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Key cross-references

From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — verses that illuminate 1 John 4:1.

  • Acts 20:29

    I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock;

  • Acts 17:11

    Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.

  • 1 John 2:18

    Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.

  • Jeremiah 5:31

    the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

  • Deuteronomy 13:1

    If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder,

  • Matthew 24:23

    Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not.

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1 John 5 →

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."