Bible Strands
1 John 4:2
By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — John writes to a community under pressure from false prophets (v. 1), handing them a concrete criterion for testing spirits. The audience is "beloved" — insiders who must distinguish true from false teaching.
The words — τοὺτῳ (toutō, "this") is a demonstrative that pins the entire test to a single confession; γινώσκετε (ginōskete, "you know") is present indicative, marking ongoing discernment rather than a one-time verdict.
The thread — The incarnation as the Spirit's touchstone recurs in John 1:14 (the Word became flesh), 1 Corinthians 12:3 (no Spirit-led person curses Jesus), and 1 Timothy 3:16 (He appeared in the flesh).
Why it lands — It places the reader in the role of examiner, not passive hearer, and reduces the test to a single confessable fact about Jesus.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
Cross-references
- John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Timothy 3:16 By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
- 1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.
- 1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
- John 16:13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
- 1 John 2:23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.