1 John 4:1

Bible in Basic English (1941)

My loved ones, do not put your faith in every spirit, but put them to the test, to see if they are from God: because a great number of false prophets have gone out into the world.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Ἀγαπητοί, μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε, ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν: ὅτι πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον.

Transliteration

Agapētoi, mē every pneumati pisteuete, but dokimazete the pneumata if from the Theou estin: because many pseudoprophētai exelēlythasin into the kosmon.

Grammar Details

• *Agapētoi*: vocative, masculine, plural - beloved ones
• *mē*: negative particle with imperative - not/do not
• *pneumati*: dative, neuter, singular - spirit/to spirit
• *pisteuete*: present imperative, 2nd plural - believe/trust
• *dokimazete*: present imperative, 2nd plural - test/examine/prove
• *pneumata*: accusative, neuter, plural - spirits
• *estin*: present indicative, 3rd singular - is
• *Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
• *pseudoprophētai*: nominative, masculine, plural - false prophets
• *exelēlythasin*: perfect active indicative, 3rd plural - have gone out/have come forth
• *kosmon*: accusative, masculine, singular - world/universe/order

Word Meanings

• *Agapētoi*: beloved/dear ones
• *pneumati*: spirit/breath/wind
• *pisteuete*: believe/trust/have faith in
• *dokimazete*: test/examine/prove/discern
• *pneumata*: spirits/breaths/winds
• *exelēlythasin*: have gone out/have departed/have come forth
• *kosmon*: world/universe/ordered system

Referenced Verses

• 2 Pet 2:1 : 1 But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it.
• 1 John 2:18 : 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you were given word that the Antichrist would come, so now a number of Antichrists have come to you; and by this we are certain that it is the last hour.
• 1 Thess 5:21 : 21 Let all things be tested; keep to what is good;
• 1 Tim 4:1 : 1 But the Spirit says clearly that in later times some will be turned away from the faith, giving their minds to spirits of deceit, and the teachings of evil spirits,
• Luke 12:57 : 57 And why are you, in your hearts, unable to be judges of what is right?
• 2 John 1:7 : 7 Because a number of false teachers have gone out into the world, who do not give witness that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Such a one is a false teacher and Antichrist.
• Acts 17:11 : 11 Now these were more noble than the Jews of Thessalonica, for they gave serious attention to the word, searching in the holy Writings every day, to see if these things were so.
• 1 Cor 12:10 : 10 And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:
• 1 Cor 14:29 : 29 And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say.
• 2 Tim 3:13 : 13 Evil and false men will become worse and worse, using deceit and themselves overcome by deceit.
• Acts 20:29 : 29 I am conscious that after I am gone, evil wolves will come in among you, doing damage to the flock;
• Rom 16:18-19 : 18 For such people are not servants of the Lord Christ, but of their stomachs; and by their smooth and well-said words the hearts of those who have no knowledge of evil are tricked. 19 For all have knowledge of how you do what you are ordered. For this reason I have joy in you, but it is my desire that you may be wise in what is good, and without knowledge of evil.
• Luke 21:8 : 8 And he said, Take care that you are not tricked: for a number of people will come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is near: do not go after them.
• Deut 13:1-5 : 1 If ever you have among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder takes place, and he says to you, Let us go after other gods, which are strange to you, and give them worship; 3 Then give no attention to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God is testing you, to see if all the love of your heart and soul is given to him. 4 But keep on in the ways of the Lord your God, fearing him and keeping his orders and hearing his voice, worshipping him and being true to him. 5 And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams is to be put to death; for his words were said with the purpose of turning you away from the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt and made you free from the prison-house; and of forcing you out of the way in which the Lord your God has given you orders to go. So you are to put away the evil from among you.
• Prov 14:15 : 15 The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
• Jer 5:31 : 31 The prophets give false words and the priests give decisions by their direction; and my people are glad to have it so: and what will you do in the end?
• Jer 29:8-9 : 8 For this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: Do not let yourselves be tricked by the prophets who are among you, and the readers of signs, and give no attention to their dreams which they may have; 9 For they are saying to you what is false in my name: I have not sent them, says the Lord.
• Matt 7:15-16 : 15 Be on the watch for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are cruel wolves. 16 By their fruits you will get knowledge of them. Do men get grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
• Matt 24:4-5 : 4 And Jesus said to them in answer, Take care that you are not tricked. 5 For people will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and a number will be turned from the true way through them.
• Matt 24:23-26 : 23 Then if any man says to you, See, here is the Christ, or, Here; do not put faith in him; 24 For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets, who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might be tricked. 25 See, I have made it clear to you before it comes about. 26 If, then, they say to you, See, he is in the waste land; go not out: See, he is in the inner rooms; put no faith in it.
• Mark 13:21 : 21 And then if any man says to you, See, here is Christ; or, See, there; have no faith in it:
• Rev 2:2 : 2 I have knowledge of your doings, and of your hard work and long waiting, and that you will not put up with evil men, and have put to the test those who say they are Apostles and are not, and have seen that they are false;