1 John 4:2 KJV,ASV

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:2

Hereby - Greek, “By this;” that is, by the test which is immediately specified.Know ye the Spirit of God - You may discern who are actuated by the Spirit of God.Every spirit - Everyone professing to be under the influence of the Spirit of God. The apostle uses the word “spirit” here with reference to the person who made the claim, on the supposition that everyone professing to be a religious teacher was animated by some spirit or foreign influence, good or bad. If the Spirit of God influenced... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 4:2

1 John 4:2 . Hereby By the following plain mark; know ye the Spirit of God In a teacher. Every spirit Of a teacher; that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God Doddridge, with many other commentators, reads this clause, Every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ, who is come in the flesh, is of God: that is, that confesseth him to be the Messiah, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, and that both with heart and voice, sincerely believing him to be such, and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:1-6

Truth and error (4:1-6)Christians should examine carefully the teaching they receive, because not all teaching is correct, in spite of speakers’ claims that they are speaking by God’s Spirit. Wrong teaching about Christ may please those who do not want to believe that the Son of God is also a real man, but such teaching is from the devil (4:1-3).There is no need for Christians to fear the false teachers, because those in whom God dwells can overcome those in whom Satan dwells (4). There will... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 4:2

Hereby . See 1 John 3:16 . know . App-132 . Spirit . App-101 . spirit . App-101 . that . Omit. Jesus Christ . App-98 . is come = to have come. the . Omit. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 4:2

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:"The confession here is a Christian creed in brief compass."[8] Orr affirmed that a "better translation" of this verse is: "Every spirit which confesses Jesus as Christ come in the flesh is of God."[9] Whether or not that is the correct translation, it is, in any case, a proper understanding of what the passage means. This is evident, as Morris noted; since, "The reference to flesh... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 4:2-3

1 John 4:2-3. Hereby know ye the Spirit, &c.— Hereby you may discern, &c. Heylin. There are two ways of interpreting what St. John has here laid down as a rule by which to try the spirits: 1. Their acknowledging that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; or, 2. Their acknowledging that Jesus, who came in the flesh, is the Christ. In favour of the latter opinion, which is my own, and which coincides with that of some of the most eminent commentators, I would observe, 1st, The unbelieving... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:2

2. Hereby—"Herein." know . . . the Spirit of God—whether he be, or not, in those teachers professing to be moved by Him. Every spirit—that is, Every teacher claiming inspiration by the HOLY SPIRIT. confesseth—The truth is taken for granted as established. Man is required to confess it, that is, in his teaching to profess it openly. Jesus Christ is come in the flesh—a twofold truth confessed, that Jesus is the Christ, and that He is come (the Greek perfect tense implies not a mere past... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:1-3

John wrote, "Stop believing." Evidently some of his first readers where believing false teaching."Credulity means gullibility and some believers fall easy victims to the latest fads in spiritualistic humbuggery." [Note: Robertson, 6:229.] It is necessary to distinguish the Spirit of God from false spirits (i.e., spirits advocating falsehood) because many false prophets have gone out into the world. False spirits (utterances or persons inspired by a spirit opposed to Christ) produce false... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:1-6

2. God’s Spirit Recognized 4:1-6The mention of the Holy Spirit in 1 John 3:24 caused John to pause briefly to sound a warning. God’s Spirit is not the only spirit manifest in the world. Some people naively think that any manifestation of a spiritual presence is indication of the Holy Spirit. The apostle explained how to distinguish the Holy Spirit from other spirits at work in the world. read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - 1 John 4:2

4:2 know (a-3) Ginosko . and so throughout chapter. see 1 Corinthians 8:1 . read more