1 John 4:2

Translations

Modern

By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

Traditional

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

Literal

In this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ having come in the flesh is of God,

Latin

In hoc cognoscitur Spiritus Dei: omnis spiritus qui confitetur Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo est:

Original

Greek

English

By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

Notes

1 John 4:2

By this you will know the Spirit of God: If someone claims to be a prophet, John provides a test for them. True prophets and teachers, guided by the Spirit of God, confess that Jesus Christ came in a real body ("in the flesh"). This means they must confirm that Jesus is both fully human and fully God. Those who deny these basic teachings are antichrists (2:18).

Some false teachers in John’s time, called Docetists, taught that Jesus only appeared to have a human body. They denied that God truly became flesh (see 1:1–3; John 1:14).

1 John 4:1–6

Those who belong to God can tell the difference between spiritual truth and error (4:4). The presence of the Holy Spirit teaches them (3:23–24; see 2:20, 27; John 14:15–26; 16:5–15). Yet John gives clear tests that Christians can use so that there will be no confusion. These tests are a beginning point for identifying true teachers, not a complete list. John designed them to answer the false teachings that were spreading in the churches of the people he is writing to.

Theme notes and profiles

Early Christian Heresies False Prophets The Antichrist The Gift of Prophecy

Related verses

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
1 Timothy 3:16
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
1 John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
1 John 4:3
…and every spirit that does not confess Jesus 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.
John 16:13–15
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
1 John 2:23
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

People

Jesus: The Son of God and Savior of the world

Glossary

Body of Christ Cerinthus Confession False Prophets First Letter of John Flesh Prophets, False Son of God Spirit of Jesus Christ

Topics

Casting out Demons Christian Minister: False and Corrupt Confessing Christ: A Test of Being Saints Confessing Christ: Influences of the Holy Spirit Necessary To Confession of Christ Demonic Possession False Prophets: Mode of Trying and Detecting Gnosticism Jesus, the Christ: Humanity of Jesus, the Christ: Incarnation of

1 John 4:2

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