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

Matthew 24:11

John 8:47

1 Corinthians 14:32

Bible References

Believe not

Beware of false prophets; they come to you with the garb of sheep but at heart they are ravenous wolves.

Jesus replied, "Take care that no one misleads you;

Such creatures are no servants of Christ our Lord, they are slaves of their own base desires; with their plausible and pious talk they beguile the hearts of unsuspecting people. But surely not of you!

Still, false prophets did appear among the People, as among you also there will be false teachers, men who will insinuate destructive heresies, even disowning the Lord who ransomed them; they bring rapid destruction on themselves,

Try

And why do you not yourselves settle what is right?

where the people were more amenable than at Thessalonica; they were perfectly ready to receive the Word and made a daily study of the scriptures to see if it was really as Paul said.

Everyone has heard of your loyalty to the gospel; it makes me rejoice over you. Still, I want you to be experts in good and innocents in evil.

Let only two or three prophets speak, while the rest exercise their judgment upon what is said.

but test them all, retaining what is good

I know your doings, your hard work and your patient endurance; I know that you cannot bear wicked men, and that you have tested those who style themselves apostles (no apostles they!) and detected them to be liars;

General references

Many false prophets will rise and mislead many.

He who belongs to God listens to the words of God; you do not listen to them, because you do not belong to God."

Prophets can control their own prophetic spirits,