Testing the Spirits

4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit,1 but test2 the spirits3 to determine4 if they are from God, because many false prophets5 have gone out into the world. 4:2 By this6 you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses7 Jesus as the Christ8 who has come in the flesh is from God, 4:3 but9 every spirit that does not confess10 Jesus11 is not from God, and this is the spirit12 of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

4:4 You are from God, little children, and have conquered them,13 because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 4:5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world’s perspective and the world listens to them. 4:6 We are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but14 whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this15 we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.16