Reference: Discerning Of Spirits
American
1Co 12:10, a miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost to certain of the early church, empowering them to judge of the real character of those who professed to love Christ, and to be inspired to teach in his name, 1Jo 4:1; 2Jo 1:7. Compare Ac 5:1-10; 13:6-12.
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Only be very firm and bold, taking heed to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee, do not turn aside therefrom, to the right hand or to the left, - that thou mayest prosper, whithersoever thou goest.
But, a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it; and, bringing a certain part, at the feet of the Apostles, he laid it. read more. But Peter said - Ananias! wherefore did Satan fill thy heart, that thou shouldst deal falsely with the Holy Spirit, and keep back part of the price of the field? While it remained, was it not, as thine own, it remained? and, when sold, was it not, in thine own authority, that it still continued? Why was it that thou didst contrive in thy heart this deed? Thou hast not dealt falsely with men but, with God. And, as Ananias heard these words, he fell, and expired. And there came great fear upon all that heard; But the young men, rising up, wrapped him about, and, bearing him forth, buried him. And it came to pass, after about three hours interval, that his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. And Peter began to say unto her - Tell me! was it, for so much, ye gave up the field? And she said - Yea! for so much. And, Peter, said unto her - Why was it agreed by you to put to the proof the Spirit of the Lord? Lo! the feet of them that have buried thy husband, are at the door, and they shall bear thee forth. And she fell instantly at his feet, and expired. And the young men, coming in, found her dead; and, bearing her forth, they buried her with her husband.
And, passing through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false-prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus; Who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The same, calling for Barnabas and Saul, sought to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the magician, - for so, when translated, is his name, - withstood them; seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. But Saul, who is also Paul, filled with Holy Spirit, looking steadfastly at him, Said - O full of all guile, and all recklessness! Son of an adversary! Enemy of all righteousness! - Wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight ways of the Lord? Now, therefore, lo! the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun, until a fitting time. And, instantly, there fell upon him a mist and darkness; and, going about, he was seeking such as might lead him by the hand. Then, the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
And, unto another, energies of mighty works, and, unto another, prophesying, and, unto another, discriminations of spirits, - unto a different one, kinds of tongues, and, unto another, translation of tongues; -
Beloved! not in every spirit, believe ye, but test the spirits, whether they are, of God; because, many false prophets, have gone out into the world.
Fausets
1Co 12:10. Discerning between the operation of God's Spirit and that of the evil spirit, or unaided human spirit claiming to utter the dictates of God's Spirit. Ac 5:1-11; 8:28; 1Co 14:23,37: "if any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." It is this which assures us of the inspiration of the New Testament The books were accepted as inspired, by churches having men possessing" the discerning of spirits" (1Jo 4:1; 1Ti 4:1).
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But, a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it; and, bringing a certain part, at the feet of the Apostles, he laid it. read more. But Peter said - Ananias! wherefore did Satan fill thy heart, that thou shouldst deal falsely with the Holy Spirit, and keep back part of the price of the field? While it remained, was it not, as thine own, it remained? and, when sold, was it not, in thine own authority, that it still continued? Why was it that thou didst contrive in thy heart this deed? Thou hast not dealt falsely with men but, with God. And, as Ananias heard these words, he fell, and expired. And there came great fear upon all that heard; But the young men, rising up, wrapped him about, and, bearing him forth, buried him. And it came to pass, after about three hours interval, that his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. And Peter began to say unto her - Tell me! was it, for so much, ye gave up the field? And she said - Yea! for so much. And, Peter, said unto her - Why was it agreed by you to put to the proof the Spirit of the Lord? Lo! the feet of them that have buried thy husband, are at the door, and they shall bear thee forth. And she fell instantly at his feet, and expired. And the young men, coming in, found her dead; and, bearing her forth, they buried her with her husband. And there came great fear upon the whole assembly, and upon all them that heard these things.
And was returning, and, sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
And, unto another, energies of mighty works, and, unto another, prophesying, and, unto another, discriminations of spirits, - unto a different one, kinds of tongues, and, unto another, translation of tongues; -
Beloved! not in every spirit, believe ye, but test the spirits, whether they are, of God; because, many false prophets, have gone out into the world.
Morish
This was one of the gifts in the early church, needful for 'testing the spirits,' because even then many false prophets had gone forth into the world. 1Co 12:10; 1Jo 4:1-3. This gift was especially necessary at the time when the word of God was not fully written.
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And it came to pass, when all the nation had made an end of passing over the Jordan, that Yahweh slake unto Joshua, saying: Take unto you, from among the people, twelve men, one man severally from each tribe; read more. and command ye them, saying, Take you up from hence, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where stood the feet of the priests with firm footing, twelve stones; - and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge, tonight.
And, unto another, energies of mighty works, and, unto another, prophesying, and, unto another, discriminations of spirits, - unto a different one, kinds of tongues, and, unto another, translation of tongues; -