I John 4:1-6

Literal Translation
Greek/English Interlinear
Overall Diagram
I John 4:1-6
Literal Translation

Introduction

1) Beloved, stop believing every spirit, but continually test the spirits, if they are from
God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2) In this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit which is confessing Jesus Christ has
come in flesh is from God.

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

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I John 4:1-6
Literal Translation (continued)

3) And every spirit which is not confessing Jesus Christ has come in flesh is not from
God; and this is the spirit of antichrist, which you have heard that is coming, and
now already is in the world.

4) You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is the
One in you, than the one in the world.

5) They themselves are from the world, on account of this they are speaking from the
world, and the world is hearing them.

6) We are from God. The one knowing God is hearing us; who is not from God is not
hearing us. Out of this we know the spirit of the truth, and the spirit of the error.

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

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I John 4:1-6
Greek / English Interlinear

1) jAgaphtoiv, mh; panti; pneuvmati pisteuvete, ajlla; dokimavzete ta;

Beloved, not every spirit be believing, but be testing the

pneuvmata, eij ejk tou` Qeou` ejstin: o{ti polloi; yeudoprofh`tai

Spirits, if out of the God is; because many false prophets

ejxelhluvqasin eij" to;n kovsmon.

have gone out into the world.

2) ejn touvtw/ ginwvskete to; Pneu`ma tou` Qeou`: pa`n pneu`ma o}

in this you know the Spirit the of God; every spirit which

oJmologei` jIhsou`n Cristo;n ejn sarki; ejlhluqovta ejk tou` Qeou`

is confessing Jesus Christ in flesh has come out of the God

ejsti(n):
is;

3) kai; pa`n pneu`ma o} mh; oJmologei` to;n jIhsou`n [Cristo;n ejn

and every spirit which not is confessing the Jesus [Christ in

sarki; ejlhluqovta] ejk tou` Qeou` oujk e[sti(n): kai; tou`to ejsti(n)
flesh has come] out of the of God not is; and this is

to; tou` ajnticrivstou, o} ajkhkovate o{ti e[rcetai, kai; nu`n ejn

the the of antichrist, which you have heard that is coming, and now in

tw`/ kovsmw/ ejsti;n h[dh.

the world is already.

4) uJmei`" ejk tou` Qeou` ejste, tekniva, kai; nenikhvkate aujtouv":

you out of the God you are, little children, and you have overcome them;

o{ti meivzwn ejsti;n oJ ejn uJmi`n h] oJ ejn tw`/ kovsmw/.

because greater is the One in you than the one in the world.

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Greek / English Interlinear (continued)

5) aujtoi; ejk tou` kovsmou eijsiv(n): dia; tou`to ejk tou`

themselves out of the world they are; on account of this out of the

kovsmou lalou`si(n) kai; oJ kovsmo" aujtw`n ajkouvei.

world they are speaking and the world them is hearing.

6) hJmei`" ejk tou` Qeou` ejsmen: oJ ginwvskwn to;n Qeo;n, ajkouvei

we out of the God we are; the one knowing the God, is hearing

hJmw`n: o}" oujk e[stin ejk tou` Qeou`, oujk ajkouvei hJmw`n. ejk
us; who not is out of the God, not is hearing us. out of

touvtou ginwvskomen to; pneu`ma th`" ajlhqeiva" kai; to; pneu`ma th`"
this we know the spirit the of truth and the spirit the

plavnh".
of error.

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram

1) jAgaphtoiv,
Beloved,

mh;
not

panti;
every

pneuvmati
spirit

pisteuvete,
be believing,

ajlla;
but

dokimavzete
be testing

ta;
the

pneuvmata,
spirits,

eij
if

ejk
out of

tou`
the

Qeou`
God

ejstin:
is;

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)

1) cont. o{ti
because

polloi;
many

yeudoprofh`tai
false prophets

ejxelhluvqasin
have out come
have gone out

eij"
into

to;n
the

kovsmon.
system
world.

2) ejn touvtw/ =
in this

ginwvskete
you know

to;
the

Pneu`ma
Spirit

tou`
the

Qeou`:
of God;

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)

2) cont. pa`n
every

= pneu`ma
spirit

o}
which

oJmologei`
is avowing
is confessing

jIhsou`n Cristo;n
Jesus anointed
Christ

ejn sarki;
in flesh

ejlhluqovta
has come
ejk
out of

tou`
the

Qeou`
of God

ejsti(n):
is

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
3) kai;
and

pa`n
every

pneu`ma
spirit

o}
which

mh;
not

oJmologei`
is avowing
is confessing

to;n
the

jIhsou`n [Cristo;n]
Jesus [anointed]
[Christ]

[ejn sarki;]
[in flesh]

[ejlhluqovta]
[has come]
ejk
out of

tou`
the

Qeou`
of God

oujk
not

e[sti(n):
is;
New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003
BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
3) cont. kai;
and

tou`to
this

ejsti(n)
is

to;
the

tou`
the

ajnticrivstou,
instead-anointing
of antichrist,
o}
which

ajkhkovate
you have heard

o{ti
that

e[rcetai,
is coming,

kai;
and

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

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I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
3) cont. nu`n
now

ejn
in

tw`/
the

kovsmw/
system
world

ejsti;n
is

h[dh.
already.
4) = uJmei`"
you

ejk
out of

tou`
the

Qeou`
God

ejste,
you are,

tekniva, =
little-offsprings
little children,

kai;
and

nenikhvkate
you have conquered
you have overcome

aujtouv":
them;
New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003
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I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
4) cont. o{ti
because

meivzwn
greater

ejsti;n
is

oJ
the One

ejn uJmi`n
in you

h]
than

oJ
the one

ejn
in

tw`/
the

kovsmw/.
system
world.

5) aujtoi;
themselves
ejk
out of
tou`
the

kovsmou
system
world

eijsiv(n): =
they are;

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
5) cont. dia; tou`to =
on account of this

ejk
out of

tou`
the

kovsmou
world

lalou`si(n)
they are talking
they are speaking

kai;
and

oJ
the

kovsmo"
system
world
aujtw`n
them

ajkouvei.
is hearing.

6) hJmei`"
we

ejk
out of

tou`
the

Qeou`
God

ejsmen:
we are;

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

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I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
6) cont. oJ
the one

ginwvskwn =
knowing

to;n
the

Qeo;n,
God,

ajkouvei
is hearing

hJmw`n:
us;

o}"
who

oujk
not

e[stin =
is

ejk
out of

tou`
the

Qeou`,
God,

oujk
not

ajkouvei
is hearing

hJmw`n.
us.

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America
I John 4:1-6
Diagram (continued)
6) cont. ejk touvtou =
out of this

ginwvskomen
we know

to;
the

pneu`ma
spirit

th`"
the

ajlhqeiva"
of truth

kai;
and

to;
the

pneu`ma
spirit

th`"
the

plavnh".
of straying
of error.

New Testament Greek Exegesis, Copyright © 2003

BTE - The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute of America