1 John

1 John 4:1–6

1Beloved, 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. 2By this you will 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 Jesusa is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.

4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spiritb of truth and the spirit of deception.

Footnotes

  • a 4:3 BYZ and TR that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
  • b 4:6 Or spirit

Read all of 1 John 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 John 4:1

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
BelovedἈγαπητοίAgapētoiAdjective - Vocative Masculine PluralG27 loved, beloved
do not believeπιστεύετεpisteueteVerb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralG4100 I believe, have faith in
everyπαντὶpantiAdjective - Dative Neuter SingularG3956 all, the whole, every kind of
spiritπνεύματιpneumatiNoun - Dative Neuter SingularG4151 wind, breath, spirit
butἀλλὰallaConjunctionG235 but, except
testδοκιμάζετεdokimazeteVerb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralG1381 I put to the test, prove, examine
theτὰtaArticle - Accusative Neuter PluralG3588 the
spiritsπνεύματαpneumataNoun - Accusative Neuter PluralG4151 wind, breath, spirit
whetherεἰeiConjunctionG1487 if
they areἐστινestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
fromἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
ForὅτιhotiConjunctionG3754 that, since, because
manyπολλοὶpolloiAdjective - Nominative Masculine PluralG4183 much, many, often
false prophetsψευδοπροφῆταιpseudoprophētaiNoun - Nominative Masculine PluralG5578 a false prophet
have gone outἐξεληλύθασινexelēlythasinVerb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralG1831 I go out, come out
intoεἰςeisPrepositionG1519 into, in, among, till, for
theτὸνtonArticle - Accusative Masculine SingularG3588 the
worldκόσμονkosmonNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG2889 the world, universe

1 John 4:2

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
ByἘνEnPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
thisτούτῳtoutōDemonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter SingularG3778 this, he, she, it
you will knowγινώσκετεginōsketeVerb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralG1097 I come to know, learn, realize
theτὸtoArticle - Accusative Neuter SingularG3588 the
SpiritΠνεῦμαPneumaNoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG4151 wind, breath, spirit
of GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
EveryπᾶνpanAdjective - Nominative Neuter SingularG3956 all, the whole, every kind of
spiritπνεῦμαpneumaNoun - Nominative Neuter SingularG4151 wind, breath, spirit
thatὃhoPersonal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter SingularG3739 who, which, what, that
confessesὁμολογεῖhomologeiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG3670 I confess, profess, acknowledge, praise
JesusἸησοῦνIēsounNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG2424 Jesus
ChristΧριστὸνChristonNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG5547 anointed, the Messiah, the Christ
has comeἐληλυθόταelēlythotaVerb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingularG2064 I come, go
inἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
fleshσαρκὶsarkiNoun - Dative Feminine SingularG4561 flesh, body
isἐστινestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
fromἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god

1 John 4:3

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
everyπᾶνpanAdjective - Nominative Neuter SingularG3956 all, the whole, every kind of
spiritπνεῦμαpneumaNoun - Nominative Neuter SingularG4151 wind, breath, spirit
thatὃhoPersonal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter SingularG3739 who, which, what, that
does not confessὁμολογεῖhomologeiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG3670 I confess, profess, acknowledge, praise
JesusἸησοῦνIēsounNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG2424 Jesus
isἔστινestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
notοὐκoukAdverbG3756 no, not
fromἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
ThisτοῦτόtoutoDemonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter SingularG3778 this, he, she, it
isἐστινestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
theτὸtoArticle - Nominative Neuter SingularG3588 the
of theτοῦtouArticle - Genitive Masculine SingularG3588 the
antichristἀντιχρίστουantichristouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG500 antichrist
whichὃhoPersonal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG3739 who, which, what, that
you have heardἀκηκόατεakēkoateVerb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralG191 I hear, listen
is comingἔρχεταιerchetaiVerb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularG2064 I come, go
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
isἐστὶνestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
alreadyἤδηēdēAdverbG2235 now, already
inἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
theτῷtōArticle - Dative Masculine SingularG3588 the
worldκόσμῳkosmōNoun - Dative Masculine SingularG2889 the world, universe
at this timeνῦνnynAdverbG3568 now, already, at present

1 John 4:4

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
YouὙμεῖςHymeisPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person PluralG4771 you
little childrenτεκνίαtekniaNoun - Vocative Neuter PluralG5040 a little child
areἐστεesteVerb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralG1510 I am, exist
fromἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
have overcomeνενικήκατεnenikēkateVerb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralG3528 I conquer, overcome
themαὐτούςautousPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person PluralG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
becauseὅτιhotiConjunctionG3754 that, since, because
greaterμείζωνmeizōnAdjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - ComparativeG3173 large, great
isἐστὶνestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
He whoὁhoArticle - Nominative Masculine SingularG3588 the
inἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
youὑμῖνhyminPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralG4771 you
thanἢēConjunctionG2228 or, than
he whoὁhoArticle - Nominative Masculine SingularG3588 the
inἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
theτῷtōArticle - Dative Masculine SingularG3588 the
worldκόσμῳkosmōNoun - Dative Masculine SingularG2889 the world, universe

1 John 4:5

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
TheyαὐτοὶautoiPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person PluralG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
areεἰσίνeisinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralG1510 I am, exist
ofἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
theτοῦtouArticle - Genitive Masculine SingularG3588 the
worldκόσμουkosmouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2889 the world, universe
That is whyδιὰdiaPrepositionG1223 through, on account of
they speakλαλοῦσινlalousinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralG2980 I speak, say
from theτοῦtouArticle - Genitive Masculine SingularG3588 the
world’sκόσμουkosmouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2889 the world, universe
perspectiveἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
theὁhoArticle - Nominative Masculine SingularG3588 the
worldκόσμοςkosmosNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG2889 the world, universe
listens toἀκούειakoueiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG191 I hear, listen
themαὐτῶνautōnPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person PluralG846 he, she, it, they, them, same

1 John 4:6

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
WeἡμεῖςhēmeisPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person PluralG1473 I
areἐσμενesmenVerb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralG1510 I am, exist
fromἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
WhoeverὁhoArticle - Nominative Masculine SingularG3588 the
knowsγινώσκωνginōskōnVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG1097 I come to know, learn, realize
GodΘεὸνTheonNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
listens toἀκούειakoueiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG191 I hear, listen
usἡμῶνhēmōnPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person PluralG1473 I
whoeverὃςhosPersonal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG3739 who, which, what, that
isἔστινestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
notοὐκoukAdverbG3756 no, not
fromἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
does not listen toἀκούειakoueiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG191 I hear, listen
usἡμῶνhēmōnPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person PluralG1473 I
That is howἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
we knowγινώσκομενginōskomenVerb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralG1097 I come to know, learn, realize
theτὸtoArticle - Accusative Neuter SingularG3588 the
SpiritπνεῦμαpneumaNoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG4151 wind, breath, spirit
of truthἀληθείαςalētheiasNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG225 truth
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
theτὸtoArticle - Accusative Neuter SingularG3588 the
spiritπνεῦμαpneumaNoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG4151 wind, breath, spirit
of deceptionπλάνηςplanēsNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG4106 a wandering, error

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 John 4:1 1 Thessalonians 5:21 · 2 Peter 2:1 · 1 Timothy 4:1 · Proverbs 14:15 · 2 John 1:7 · Matthew 24:4–5 · Jeremiah 29:8–9 · Matthew 7:15–16 · 1 John 2:18 · 1 Corinthians 14:29 · Luke 12:57 · Luke 21:8

1 John 4:2 John 1:14 · 1 Corinthians 12:3 · 1 Timothy 3:16 · 1 John 4:3 · 1 John 5:1 · John 16:13–15 · 1 John 2:23

1 John 4:3 1 John 2:22 · 2 John 1:7 · 1 John 2:18 · 2 Thessalonians 2:3–8

1 John 4:4 Romans 8:31 · 1 John 5:4 · Romans 8:37 · 1 John 4:16 · 1 Corinthians 2:12 · Romans 8:10–11 · 1 John 5:19 · Ephesians 6:12–13 · 1 John 4:13 · Ephesians 6:10 · John 10:28–30 · John 14:17–23

1 John 4:5 John 8:23 · 2 Peter 2:2–3 · John 17:14 · John 3:31 · John 17:16 · 2 Timothy 4:3 · Revelation 12:9 · John 15:19–20 · Jeremiah 5:31 · Micah 2:11 · Luke 16:8 · John 7:6–7

1 John 4:6 John 14:17 · John 10:27 · 1 Corinthians 2:12–14 · John 15:26 · 1 John 4:1 · John 8:45–50 · John 18:37 · 1 John 4:4 · 1 Corinthians 14:37 · 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11 · 1 John 4:8 · 2 Thessalonians 1:8

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.