1 John 4:3 BSB — MannaFest

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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.

KJV

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

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Commentary

3 voices

Polycarp of Smyrna

Epistle to the Philippians 7 (155)

"For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist;" and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross, is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

And every spirit that confesseth not ... - That is, this doctrine is essential to the Christian system; and he who does not hold it cannot be regarded either as a Christian, or recognised as a Christian teacher. If he was not a man, then all that occurred in his life, in Gethsemane, and on the cross, was in “appearance” only, and was assumed only to delude the senses. There were no real sufferings; there was no shedding of blood; there was no death on the cross; and, of course, there was no atonement.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

The oldest extant manuscripts, which are, however, centuries after POLYCARP, read, "Every spirit that confesseth not (that is, refuses to confess) Jesus" (in His person, and all His offices and divinity), omitting "is come in the flesh." ye have heard--from your Christian teachers. already is it in the world--in the person of the false prophets (1Jo 4:1).

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

30 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
πᾶν	pan	any	G3956 →
πνεῦμα	pneuma	spirit	G4151 →
ὃ	ho	that	G3739 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
ὁμολογεῖ	homologei	confesses	G3670 →
τὸν	ton	<the>	G3588 →
Ἰησοῦν	Iēsoun	Jesus	G2424 →
ἐκ	ek	from	G1537 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
θεοῦ	theou	God	G2316 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
ἔστιν·	estin	is;	G1510 →
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
τοῦτό	touto	this	G3778 →
ἐστιν	estin	is	G1510 →
τὸ	to	that	G3588 →
τοῦ	tou	of the	G3588 →
ἀντιχρίστου	antichristou	antichrist	G500 →
ὃ	ho	which	G3739 →
ἀκηκόατε	akēkoate	you have heard	G191 →
ὅτι	hoti	that	G3754 →
ἔρχεται	erchetai	is coming	G2064 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
νῦν	nun	now	G3568 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
τῷ	tō	the	G3588 →
κόσμῳ	kosmō	world	G2889 →
ἐστὶν	estin	is	G1510 →
ἤδη.	ēdē	already.	G2235 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 John 2:22
Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.
leads to
- 2 John 1:7
  For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 John 2:18
  Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.
- Jude 1:4
  For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only…
Through
1 John 2:18
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.
leads to
- 1 John 2:22
  Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.
- Matthew 24:24
  For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- Matthew 24:5
  For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Through
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
leads to
- 1 John 4:1–3
  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- 1 John 2:26
  I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

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Continue: 1 John 4 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 1 John

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 1 John