1 John 4:6

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐσμεν: ὁ γινώσκων τὸν Θεὸν ἀκούει ἡμῶν· ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀκούει ἡμῶν. Ἐκ τούτου γινώσκομεν τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πλάνης.

Transliteration

Hēmeis from the Theou esmen: the [one] ginōskōn the Theon akouei us; who ouk estin from the Theou ouk akouei us. From toutou ginōskomen the pneuma of the alētheias, and the pneuma of the planēs.

Grammar Details

• *Hēmeis*: nominative, plural - we
• *Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
• *esmen*: present indicative, 1st plural - we are
• *ginōskōn*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - knowing/one who knows
• *Theon*: accusative, masculine, singular - God
• *akouei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - hears/listens to
• *ouk*: negative particle - not
• *estin*: present indicative, 3rd singular - is
• *toutou*: genitive, neuter, singular - from this/by this
• *ginōskomen*: present active indicative, 1st plural - we know
• *pneuma*: accusative, neuter, singular - spirit
• *alētheias*: genitive, feminine, singular - of truth
• *planēs*: genitive, feminine, singular - of error/deception

Word Meanings

• *ginōskōn*: knowing/one who knows/recognizing
• *akouei*: hears/listens to/pays attention to
• *ginōskomen*: we know/we recognize/we discern
• *pneuma*: spirit/breath
• *alētheias*: truth/reality
• *planēs*: error/deception/wandering/straying

Referenced Verses

• John 14:17 : 17 [ even] the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot {G3756} receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: {G1161} ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.
• John 10:27 : 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
• 1 Cor 14:37 : 37 If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
• 1 John 4:1 : 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
• 1 John 4:4 : 4 Ye are of God, [my] little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
• John 15:26 : 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me:
• John 18:37 : 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
• John 20:21 : 21 Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
• Rom 1:1 : 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
• Rom 11:8 : 8 according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day.
• 1 Cor 2:12-14 : 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the {G40} Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual [words]. 14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he {G3756} cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.
• John 16:13 : 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, [these] shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.
• John 13:20 : 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth {G5100} whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
• Isa 8:20 : 20 To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
• Isa 29:10 : 10 For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.
• Hos 4:12 : 12 My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, [departing] from under their God.
• Mic 2:11 : 11 If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
• Mic 3:8 : 8 But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
• Luke 10:22 : 22 All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save {G3361} the Father; and who the Father is, save {G3361} the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him].
• John 8:19 : 19 They said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know {G302} my Father also.
• John 8:45-50 : 45 But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why {G5101} do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear [them] not, because ye are not of God. 48 The Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. 50 But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
• John 10:16 : 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and they shall become one flock, one shepherd.
• 1 John 4:8 : 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
• Jude 1:17 : 17 But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
• 2 Cor 10:7 : 7 Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also are we.
• 2 Thess 1:8 : 8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:
• 2 Thess 2:9-9 : 9 [None even he], whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
• 1 Tim 4:1 : 1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
• 2 Pet 3:2 : 2 that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles: