1 John 4:6 kjv
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
1 John 4:6 nkjv
We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1 John 4:6 niv
We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
1 John 4:6 esv
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1 John 4:6 nlt
But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.
1 John 4 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jn 4:1 | Beloved, do not believe every spirit...test the spirits whether they are of God... | Introduces the need to test spiritual claims. |
| 1 Jn 2:18-19 | ...many antichrists have come...They went out from us... | False teachers originated within the church. |
| 1 Jn 2:24 | Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you... | Adherence to original apostolic teaching. |
| Jn 8:47 | Whoever is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear them... | True divine origin leads to hearing God's words. |
| Jn 10:27 | My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. | Genuine believers recognize and follow divine truth. |
| Lk 10:16 | He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me... | Christ equates hearing His messengers with hearing Him. |
| Acts 2:42 | And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship... | Early church devoted to apostolic instruction. |
| 2 Th 2:10-12 | ...they did not receive the love of the truth...God sends them strong delusion... | Rejection of truth results in divine judgment/deception. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | All Scripture is given by inspiration of God... | Authority of divine, inspired written word. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | But there were also false prophets...just as there will be false teachers among you... | Warns about the inevitability of false teachers. |
| Mt 7:15-20 | Beware of false prophets...you will know them by their fruits. | Discerning false prophets by their outcome (doctrine/life). |
| Deut 13:1-5 | If there arises among you a prophet...you shall not listen... | OT command to reject prophets who lead astray. |
| Isa 8:20 | To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word... | The Word of God as the definitive test of truth. |
| Gal 1:8-9 | But even if we...preach any other gospel...let him be accursed. | Stern warning against distorting the Gospel message. |
| 2 Cor 11:13-15 | For such are false apostles...disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. | False teachers are deceptive in their presentation. |
| Jer 24:7 | Then I will give them a heart to know Me... | True knowledge of God is a divine gift. |
| Jn 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God... | Knowing God and Christ is central to eternal life. |
| Jn 14:17 | the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive... | The Spirit of Truth dwells with believers. |
| Jn 15:26 | When the Helper comes...the Spirit of truth...He will testify of Me. | The Spirit of Truth testifies concerning Christ. |
| Jn 16:13 | ...when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth... | The Spirit's role in guiding into all truth. |
| Rom 8:14 | For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. | Sons of God are characterized by being led by the Spirit. |
| 1 Tim 4:1-2 | Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith... | Foretells a departure from faith due to deceiving spirits. |
| Tit 1:9-11 | holding fast the faithful word...that he may be able...to rebuke those who contradict. | Leaders must uphold sound doctrine and refute error. |
1 John 4 verses
1 John 4 6 Meaning
First John 4:6 provides a crucial criterion for discerning spiritual truth from falsehood. The apostle John states that he and the other apostles, along with their authoritative teachings, are from God. Therefore, anyone who genuinely knows God will acknowledge and receive this divinely ordained apostolic message. Conversely, those whose spiritual origin is not God, but deception, will reject it. This fundamental difference—the acceptance or rejection of apostolic doctrine—serves as the infallible means by which believers can identify whether a spirit or teaching originates from "the Spirit of truth" or from "the spirit of error."
1 John 4 6 Context
First John chapter 4 initiates a crucial discussion on spiritual discernment, directly flowing from the necessity to "test the spirits" mentioned in verse 1. The community to which John writes was facing significant internal challenges from false teachers, likely proponents of early Gnostic doctrines (specifically docetism, which denied Jesus' true humanity, 1 Jn 4:2-3). These adversaries claimed special spiritual insight but propagated doctrines contrary to the apostolic witness. Verse 6, therefore, acts as a primary litmus test against these heresies. It affirms the authority and divine origin of the apostles' teaching, establishing it as the standard by which all spiritual claims must be evaluated. The surrounding verses in the chapter reinforce themes of divine love, knowing God, and practicing righteousness as evidence of true faith, all against the backdrop of doctrinal purity.
1 John 4 6 Word analysis
- "We": Refers primarily to the apostles, including John himself, who were eyewitnesses to Christ's life and ministry, and were directly commissioned by Him (cf. 1 Jn 1:1-3). This "we" carries divine authority and represents the source of genuine revelation.
- "are from God" (Greek: ek tou theou esmen): This phrase indicates divine origin, commission, and endorsement. It highlights that the apostles, and the message they deliver, are authorized and sent by God Himself, contrasting sharply with false teachers whose origin is not divine.
- "Whoever knows God": (Greek: ho ginōskōn ton theon). This signifies a true, experiential, and relational understanding of God. It implies a heart truly submitted to God's will and truth, not merely an intellectual acknowledgment or claim.
- "listens to us" (Greek: akouei hēmōn): Conveys the idea of hearing attentively, understanding, and obediently receiving the teaching. It denotes an acceptance of the apostolic message as authoritative and truthful, stemming from a spiritual responsiveness to God.
- "whoever is not from God" (Greek: hos ouk estin ek tou theou): Identifies individuals or groups whose spiritual foundation and therefore their teachings, are contrary to God's truth. These are often false prophets or teachers led by deceptive spirits.
- "does not listen to us" (Greek: ouch akouei hēmōn): This indicates active rejection, disregard, or refusal to accept the authoritative teaching of the apostles. Such refusal reveals a fundamental opposition to God and His truth, signifying a spiritual detachment from Him.
- "By this we know" (Greek: en toutō ginōskomen): Points to the previously stated distinction—the response to apostolic teaching—as the definitive, observable standard or criterion for distinguishing genuine divine influence from deception. It provides a clear test for believers.
- "the Spirit of truth" (Greek: to Pneuma tēs alētheias): A specific and repeated title for the Holy Spirit in John's writings (Jn 14:17, 15:26, 16:13). The Holy Spirit's primary function is to bear witness to Christ, lead believers into all truth, and confirm divine revelation.
- "and the spirit of error" (Greek: kai to pneuma tēs planēs): Refers to the deceptive spiritual force (demonic influence) that promotes falsehood, misunderstanding, and leads individuals away from truth. Planēs itself means a wandering, delusion, or deception, contrasting directly with truth.
Words-group analysis:
- "We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us": This establishes a direct, causative link: being "from God" implies that God has sent them (the apostles), and genuinely "knowing God" results in receptiveness to His messengers and their message. This shows that true spiritual knowledge leads to obedience to divine revelation.
- "whoever is not from God does not listen to us": This stark antithesis defines the opposing spiritual camps. Those not aligned with God intrinsically resist and reject the divine truth conveyed by His authorized spokesmen, manifesting their opposition to Him.
- "By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error": This clause encapsulates the practical discernment tool. The acceptance or rejection of the objective, foundational apostolic doctrine concerning Christ and His saving work is the concrete test for identifying whether a spiritual teaching emanates from the Holy Spirit, who leads to truth, or from a deceptive, anti-Christ spirit, which promotes error.
1 John 4 6 Bonus section
- The test presented in this verse is not based on charismatic manifestations or subjective feelings, but on the objective content of the message, specifically its adherence to the truth concerning Jesus Christ (as expanded upon in 1 Jn 4:2-3).
- The connection between "the Spirit of truth" and "us" (the apostles) indicates that the Holy Spirit affirmed the apostles' message. True Spirit-led ministry will align with and confirm the apostolic teaching, never contradict it.
- This verse underpins the importance of Christian tradition, not as a source equal to Scripture, but as the consistent, accurate interpretation and transmission of the apostles' teaching through history, allowing the church to preserve doctrinal purity.
- The repeated contrast of "from God" with "not from God" (or "of the world" in 1 Jn 4:5) frames spiritual realities as binary: there is God's truth, and there is everything that stands against it. There is no middle ground in this discernment.
1 John 4 6 Commentary
First John 4:6 serves as a foundational declaration of apostolic authority and a timeless guide for theological discernment. In a period marked by rising false doctrines, John provided a clear, objective benchmark for truth. The "we" refers to the original apostles, commissioned by Christ Himself, whose unified message encapsulated the pure revelation of God. To "know God" is not merely intellectual; it denotes a relational reality that fundamentally involves submitting to God's truth, a truth conveyed through these apostles. Therefore, genuine believers, empowered by the Spirit of truth, naturally align with and receive this doctrine. Conversely, rejection of this apostolic testimony reveals a spiritual origin antithetical to God, betraying the presence of a "spirit of error." This verse thus powerfully highlights the unchanging necessity of adhering to the biblically revealed, apostolic faith as the definitive criterion for evaluating all spiritual claims, safeguarding against deceptive influences by anchoring believers in objective truth rather than subjective experience. For practical application, this means rigorously comparing all teachings—even those claiming divine inspiration—to the unadulterated biblical message as delivered by the apostles, refusing anything that contradicts it.