1 John 4:6 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓]
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, 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, NASB: We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; the one who 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, CSB: We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
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The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.
What does 1 John 4:6 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
John concludes this passage with another group of three comments. First, he notes, "We are from God." Believers are not of this world (1 John 4:5) and should be distinctly different.Second, a sign of real fellowship with God is openness to sound teachings. Believers who are truly walking with Christ will listen to godly teachers. John considered himself one of these godly teachers. He offered words of instruction, and certainly expected his readers to accept and obey. Of course, if it was not possible for a saved person to be deceived, John would have no reason to give his warning. True believers are not immune to deception, but those who truly walk with Christ have a better sense of good versus bad teachings.
Third, John states that unbelievers will naturally reject the message of God's people.
The conclusion is that these basics let us judge between truth and error, spiritually speaking. Believers cannot believe every spiritual teaching (1 John 4:1). They are to accept teachings from God and His people, while rejecting worldly teachings presented by false teachers. Believers have overcome the false teachings in this world because the one in them is greater than the one in this world (1 John 4:4).