1 John 4 5

1 John 4:5 kjv

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

1 John 4:5 nkjv

They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

1 John 4:5 niv

They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

1 John 4:5 esv

They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

1 John 4:5 nlt

Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world's viewpoint, and the world listens to them.

1 John 4 verses

1 John 4 5 Meaning

This verse describes false teachers and those who embody the spirit of error. It reveals their origin, message, and reception: they originate from the "world"—meaning the societal system hostile to God—and therefore their teachings reflect worldly values and desires. Consequently, the world, in turn, readily accepts and embraces their message because it resonates with its own nature. It serves as a diagnostic tool for distinguishing truth from deception.

1 John 4 5 Context

1 John 4:5 falls within a crucial section of John’s letter (1 Jn 4:1-6) that emphasizes discernment. Preceding this verse, John exhorts believers to "test the spirits" (1 Jn 4:1) because "many false prophets have gone out into the world." Verse 4 reassures believers that the Spirit of God residing within them is "greater than he who is in the world," empowering them to overcome these deceptive influences. Immediately following verse 5, verse 6 contrasts these worldly false teachers with true apostles and believers, stating, "We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us." This stark division sets up a clear litmus test for truth: origin from God versus origin from the world.

Historically and culturally, John was addressing proto-Gnostic influences and Docetism, which were emerging within early Christianity. These false teachings denied the true humanity and bodily incarnation of Jesus Christ, asserting instead that Christ was a spirit who only appeared to have a body. Such teachings, appealing to human philosophical trends and a desire for "secret knowledge," were of the "world" in their essence and contrasted sharply with the apostolic teaching of the crucified and risen Christ. John's warnings serve as a direct polemic against these prevalent beliefs, identifying their source as antithetical to divine truth.

1 John 4 5 Word analysis

• They (Αὐτοί - Autoi): Refers directly to the "many false prophets" mentioned in 1 Jn 4:1, representing a specific group spreading deceptive doctrines.
• are from (ἐκ τοῦ - ek tou): Denotes origin, source, or derivation. It implies that their very nature, identity, and character are drawn from the subsequent entity.
• the world (κόσμου - kosmou): In Johannine literature, kosmos (world) often refers to the organized human system alienated from God, under the dominion of evil, characterized by sinful desires, worldly values, and opposition to divine truth. It is not the created order itself but humanity in rebellion against its Creator.
• therefore (διὰ τοῦτο - dia touto): Signifies a direct causal relationship or logical consequence. Their origin directly determines their message and their reception.
• they speak (λαλοῦσιν - lalousin): Pertains to their teaching, their preaching, their public pronouncements, and their theological articulation.
• from the world (ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου - ek tou kosmou): Reiterates that the content and essence of their message are derived from and align with worldly principles, wisdom, and desires, rather than divine revelation.
• and the world (καὶ ὁ κόσμος - kai ho kosmos): The same "world" that defines the false teachers. It refers to the rebellious human society or the fallen global system.
• listens to them (αὐτῶν ἀκούει - autōn akouei): Akouei means "to hear," but here it carries the implication of "to heed," "to accept," "to obey," or "to follow." It suggests a willing reception and endorsement of their message.

Words-group analysis:

• "They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world": This phrase highlights the intimate connection between the source (their being "from the world") and the expression (their speaking "from the world"). Their nature as "worldly" defines their doctrine and worldview. Their message is simply an outward manifestation of their inner essence.
• "and the world listens to them": This shows the affinity between the false teachers and their audience. The world embraces and accepts their teachings precisely because these teachings resonate with the world's values, preferences, and understanding. There is no conflict or challenge, only comfortable affirmation.

1 John 4 5 Bonus section

• The term "kosmos" (world) is frequently used by John, and its negative connotation (a system opposed to God) is crucial to understanding this verse. It differentiates from the physical creation, which God loves (Jn 3:16).
• The contrast drawn here implies that those "from God" will speak "from God," and often the "world" will not listen to them, mirroring Christ's own experience (Jn 1:10-11, 15:18-19). The rejection of truth by the world can paradoxically be a sign of its divine origin.
• This verse provides a warning against deriving one's theological framework or moral values from societal consensus or current popular philosophies, rather than from divine revelation as conveyed through the apostles.
• The ability of the "world" to listen indicates a shared nature and spirit. They resonate with each other because they stem from the same source—the anti-God spirit animating the fallen world.

1 John 4 5 Commentary

1 John 4:5 offers a profound spiritual diagnostic: false teachers, identified by John as those opposing the Spirit of God, betray their nature through their origin, their message, and their audience. Their essence is "from the world"—meaning the anti-God system of human society. Consequently, what they speak, preach, and teach also emanates "from the world." This worldly source means their doctrines cater to human reasoning, earthly desires, or comfortable philosophies rather than challenging them with divine truth.

The crucial identifier comes in the reception of their message: "the world listens to them." This listening implies not just hearing but also accepting, approving, and adopting their teachings. Unlike God's truth, which often faces rejection or antagonism from a fallen world, worldly deception finds ready ears and willing hearts among those immersed in worldly thinking. Popularity or wide acceptance, therefore, is presented not as a mark of truth but often as an indicator of falsehood, because a message that is palatable to the unregenerate world is unlikely to be God's challenging truth. This verse urges believers to evaluate the source and resonance of a message, rather than its public appeal, when discerning spirits.

• Example 1: A teaching that prioritizes material wealth and worldly success as the primary signs of God's blessing, without emphasis on suffering, self-denial, or generosity, may align with the world's desire for gain. The world readily "listens" to this.
• Example 2: A message that diminishes sin, personal responsibility, or the unique saving work of Christ, to be broadly inclusive or politically correct, finds an easy audience in a world averse to moral absolutes and exclusive claims.
• Example 3: Spiritual leaders who gain widespread secular celebrity for aligning their message with prevailing cultural norms on morality or sexuality might be examples of those "from the world" speaking "from the world," to whom the world "listens."