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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But a man named Ananias who, with his wife Sapphira, sold a farm of his, kept back some of the purchase price, with the connivance of his wife. He brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. read more. "Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan so filled your heart that you are lying to the Holy Spirit, and keeping back part of the price of the land? "While it remained unsold, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was not the price at your own disposal? How could you conceive this act in your heart? You have not lied unto men, but unto God." As Ananias heard these words he fell down and expired, and all who heard were awe-struck. But the younger men rose, wrapped the body up, and carried it out to bury it. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened; and Peter said to her, "Tell me if you got so much for the land." "Yes," she said, "so much." "Why was it," said Peter, "that you both agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out." Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired, and when the young men came in they found her dead, and carried her out and buried her husband.
They had John Mark as an assistant; and after going through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain Jewish sorcerer and false prophet, named Bar-Jesus, who belonged to the suite of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. He summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas, "the sorcerer," for that is the translation of his name, opposed them, and tried to divert the proconsul from the faith. So Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily at him, and said: "O full of all craft and cunning, you son of the devil! You enemy of all goodness! Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? "The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season." Instantly there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and groping about, he sought some one to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed. He was astounded at the teaching of the Lord.
to another the powers which work miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Do not believe every spirit, beloved, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets are 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 man named Ananias who, with his wife Sapphira, sold a farm of his, kept back some of the purchase price, with the connivance of his wife. He brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. read more. "Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan so filled your heart that you are lying to the Holy Spirit, and keeping back part of the price of the land? "While it remained unsold, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was not the price at your own disposal? How could you conceive this act in your heart? You have not lied unto men, but unto God." As Ananias heard these words he fell down and expired, and all who heard were awe-struck. But the younger men rose, wrapped the body up, and carried it out to bury it. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened; and Peter said to her, "Tell me if you got so much for the land." "Yes," she said, "so much." "Why was it," said Peter, "that you both agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out." Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired, and when the young men came in they found her dead, and carried her out and buried her husband. And great fear fell on all the church and upon all who had heard it.
Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.
to another the powers which work miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Do not believe every spirit, beloved, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets are 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
to another the powers which work miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.