1 John 4:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Believe not

Try

General references

1 Corinthians 14:32

Bible References

Believe not

"If a prophet stands up in your midst or a dreamer of dreams and he gives to you a sign or wonder,

The simple will believe every word, but the clever will consider his step.

The prophets prophesy {falsely}, and the priests rule {by their own authority}, and my people love [it] so much. But what will you do {when the end comes}?

For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Do not let your prophets who [are] in your midst, and your diviners, deceive you, and you must not listen to your dreams that you [are] causing [them] to dream.

"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves.

And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Watch out that no one deceives you!

For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own stomach, and by smooth speech and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in {destructive heresies}, even denying the Master who bought them, [thus] bringing on themselves swift destruction.

Try

And why do you not also judge for yourselves [what is] right?

Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. {They} accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day [to see] if these [things] were so.

For [the report of] your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, and I want you to be wise toward what [is] good, but innocent toward what [is] evil.

Let two or three prophets speak, and the others evaluate.

but examine all [things]; hold fast to [what is] good.

'I know your works, and your labor and patient endurance, and that you are not able to tolerate evil, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you found them [to be] false.

General references

And if you say {to yourself}, 'How can we know the word that Yahweh has not spoken to him?'

Cease to listen to instruction, my child, {and you will stray} from sayings of knowledge.

and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many,

The one who is from God listens to the words of God. Because of this you do not listen--because you are not of God."

and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.