SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:1
¶ Amados, no creis a todo espíritu, sino probad los espíritus si son de Dios. Porque muchos falsos profetas son salidos en el mundo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:1
Verse 1. Beloved, believe not every spirit] Do not be forward to believe every teacher to be a man sent of God. As in those early times every teacher professed to be inspired by the Spirit of God, because all the prophets had come thus accredited, the term spirit was used to express the man who pretended to be and teach under the Spirit's influence. See 1 Cor. xii. 1-12; 1 Tim. iv. 1. Try the Spirits] dokimazete ta pneumata? Put these teachers to the proof. Try them by that testimony which is known to have come from the Spirit of God, the word of revelation already given.
Many false prophets] Teachers not inspired by the Spirit of God, are gone out into the world - among the Jewish people particularly, and among them who are carnal and have not the Spirit.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Beloved, believe not every spirit , &c.] The apostle having mentioned the word spirit in the latter part of the preceding chapter, takes an occasion from thence to return to what he had been suggesting in the second chapter, concerning the many antichrists that then were, and whom he points out, and here cautions against. By every spirit he means, either every doctrine that is pretended to come from the Spirit of God, or every teacher, who professes to be qualified and sent by him, and to have his light, knowledge, and doctrine from him. Every true minister of the Gospel has the Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit, more or less, to qualify him for his work; he is separated, and called to it by him, and receives his spiritual light find knowledge from him; it is he that teaches him sound doctrine, and leads him into all truth, as it is in Jesus, and brings every necessary truth to his remembrance; and who succeeds his ministrations to the good of souls: but there are some who call themselves the ministers of the Gospel, who, though they may have some natural abilities, and a share of human learning, and a notional knowledge of things, yet have never received either grace or gifts from the Spirit; nor have they been ever called by him; nor are their ministrations according to that divine word which is inspired by him, nor attended with his demonstration and power; wherefore, though some professing to have the Spirit of Christ are to be believed, yet not everyone; and though the Spirit is not to be quenched in any, nor prophesying to be despised, yet care should be taken what is heard and received: some persons are so obstinate and incredulous as not to believe anything that is declared, be the evidence what it will; as the Jews would not believe Christ and his apostles, though what they said agreed with Moses and the prophets, and was confirmed by miracles; and others are too credulous; at once receive every teacher, and embrace every upstart doctrine: this they should not do, but try the spirits whether they are of God ; not by human reason, especially as carnal and unsanctified; for though the doctrines of the Gospel are not contrary to true reason, they are above it, and not to be judged of by it, and are disapproved of and rejected by carnal reason; but by the word of God, which is the standard of all doctrine; and whatever agrees with that is to be received, and what does not should be rejected. And so to do is very commendable, as appears from the instance of the Beraeans, who on this account are said to be more noble than those of Thessalonica, ( Acts 17:11); and from the commendation of the church at Ephesus, ( Revelation 2:2). And this is what every believer, every private Christian should do; to them it belongs to read and search the Scriptures, and prove all things, and judge for themselves of the truth of doctrine; and to such a probation or trial of the spirits, spiritual light, knowledge, judgment, sense, experience, and divine guidance are necessary, which should be asked of God, and an increase thereof; and all such diligent searchers, and humble inquirers, are capable of making judgment of persons and doctrines, whether they are from the Spirit of God or not, for the Spirit of God never speaks contrary to his word: and the reason why such a trial should be made is, because many false prophets are gone out into the world : such who pretended either to a revelation of future things, and to foretell things to come; or rather to a gift of prophesying, or preaching in Christ's name, to be prophets and spiritual men, and ministers of the word, but were false ones; who either predicted what did not come to pass, or rather preached false doctrine, by corrupting the word, and handling it deceitfully, and so imposed upon and ruined the souls of others, as well as deceived their own: and there were not only one, or two, or a few of these, but many, as our Lord had foretold, ( Matthew 24:11,24); and which makes the reason the stronger for not believing every spirit, but trying them; and the rather, since they were not sent of God, hot called out by his churches, but were gone out of themselves; of their own heads, and without any mission from God or man: and into the world too; they were in every part of it, and especially where there were any churches of Christ; into which they first crept in privily, and at unawares, but afterwards became public preachers of the word, and then separating from them, set up openly in the world for themselves.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - Christians who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, may, in humbl dependence on Divine teaching, discern those who set forth doctrine according to the apostles, and those who contradict them. The sum of revealed religion is in the doctrine concerning Christ, his person an office. The false teachers spake of the world according to its maxim and tastes, so as not to offend carnal men. The world approved them they made rapid progress, and had many followers such as themselves the world will love its own, and its own will love it. The tru doctrine as to the Saviour's person, as leading men from the world to God, is a mark of the spirit of truth in opposition to the spirit of error. The more pure and holy any doctrine is, the more likely to be of God; nor can we by any other rules try the spirits whether they are of God or not. And what wonder is it, that people of a worldly spiri should cleave to those who are like themselves, and suit their scheme and discourses to their corrupt taste?
Greek Textus Receptus
αγαπητοι 27 μη 3361 παντι 3956 πνευματι 4151 πιστευετε 4100 5720 αλλα 235 δοκιμαζετε 1381 5720 τα 3588 πνευματα 4151 ει 1487 εκ 1537 του 3588 θεου 2316 εστιν 2076 5748 οτι 3754 πολλοι 4183 ψευδοπροφηται 5578 εξεληλυθασιν 1831 5758 εις 1519 τον 3588 κοσμον 2889
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Beloved. Again the recognition of danger from false spirits prompts this affectionate address. Compare iii. 21.
Try (dokimazete). Better, as Rev., prove. See on 1 Pet. i. 7; Luke xii. 55. Compare the phrase discerning of spirits, 1 Cor. xii. 10.
Of God (ek). Out of: proceeding from.
False prophets (yeudoprofhtai). The term is applied in the New Testament to rivals of true prophets under the old dispensation (Luke vi. 26; 2 Pet. ii. 1), and to rivals of the apostles under the gospel economy (Matt. vii. 15; xxiv. 11, 24; Mark xiii. 22). In Revelation to "the embodied power of spiritual falsehood" (xvi. 13; xix. 20; xx. 10). The false prophet supports his claims by signs and portents (Matt. xxiv. 24; Acts xiii. 6; Apoc. xix. 20) and is thus distinguished from the false teacher. See 2 Peter ii. 1, where the two terms occur together.
Are gone out (exalhluqasin). The perfect tense indicates that the influence of their going out on their false mission is in operation at the present.
