1 John 4 · Verse 6

1 John 4:6

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:6, King James Version

1 John 4:6 in other translations

BSB	We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
WEB	We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
ASV	We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
YLT	we--of God we are; he who is knowing God doth hear us; he who is not of God, doth not hear us; from this we know the spirit of the truth, and the spirit of the error.
DARBY	We are of God; he that knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
BBE	We are of God: he who has the knowledge of God gives ear to us; he who is not of God does not give ear to us. By this we may see which is the true spirit, and which is the spirit of error.
Webster	We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

What does 1 John 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. We--true teachers of Christ: in contrast to them. are of God--and therefore speak of God: in contrast to "speak they of the world," 1Jo 4:5. knoweth God--as his Father, being a child "of God" (1Jo 2:13, 14). heareth us--Compare Joh 18:37, "Every one that is of the truth, heareth My voice." Hereby--(1Jo 4:2-6); by their confessing, or not confessing, Jesus; by the kind of reception given them respectively by those who know God, and by those who are of the world and not of God. spirit of truth--the Spirit which comes from God and teaches truth. spirit of error--the spirit which comes from Satan and seduces into error.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 6. We are of God. John here, doubtless, refers to himself, and to those who taught the same doctrines which he did. He takes it for granted that those to whom he wrote would admit this, and argues from it as an indisputable truth, lie had given them such evidence of this, as to establish his character and claims beyond a doubt; and he often refers to the fact that he was what he claimed to be, as a point which was so well established that no one would call it in question. See Jn 19:35, 21:24, 3Jn 1:12. Paul, also, not unfrequently refers to the same thing respecting himself; to the fact--a fact which no one would presume to call in question, and which might be regarded as the basis of an argument--that he and his fellow-apostles were what they claimed to be. See 1Cor 15:14,15, 1Thes 2:1-11. Might not, and ought not, all Christians, and all Christian ministers, so to live that the same thing might be assumed in regard to them in their intercourse with their fellow- men; that their characters for integrity and purity might be so clear that no one would be disposed to call them in question? There are such men in the church and in the ministry now; why might not all be such?

He that knoweth God, heareth us. Every one that has a true acquaintance with the character of God will receive our doctrine. John might assume this, for it was not doubted, he presumed, that he was an apostle and a good man; and if this were admitted, it would follow that those who feared and loved God would receive what he taught.

Hereby. By this; to wit, by the manner in which they receive the doctrines which we have taught.

Know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. We can distinguish those who embrace the truth from those who do not. Whatever pretensions they might set up for piety, it was clear that if they did not embrace the doctrines taught by the true apostles of God, they could not be regarded as his friends; that is, as true Christians. It may be added that the same test is applicable now. They who do not receive the plain doctrines laid down in the word of God, whatever pretensions they may make to piety, or whatever zeal they may envice in the cause which they have espoused, can have no well-founded claims to the name Christian. One of the clearest evidences of true piety is a readiness to receive all that God has taught. Comp. Mt 18:1-3, Mk 10:15 Jas 1:19-21.

(c) "Hereby" Isa 8:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 We are of God - We, apostles, have the Spirit of God, and speak and teach by that Spirit. He that knoweth God - who has a truly spiritual discernment, heareth us - acknowledges that our doctrine is from God; that it is spiritual, and leads from earth to heaven. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth - The doctrine and teacher most prized and followed by worldly men, and by the gay, giddy, and garish multitude, are not from God; they savor of the flesh, lay on no restraints, prescribe no cross-bearing, and leave every one in full possession of his heart's lusts and easily besetting sins. And by this, false doctrine and false teachers are easily discerned.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 John 4:1-6

Christians who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, may, in humble dependence on Divine teaching, discern those who set forth doctrines according to the apostles, and those who contradict them. The sum of revealed religion is in the doctrine concerning Christ, his person and office. The false teachers spake of the world according to its maxims and tastes, so as not to offend carnal men. The world approved them…

Read the full comment on 1 John 4:1-6 →

1 John 4:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἡμεῖςhēmeisWe ourselvesG3165

ἐκekofG1537

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouGodG2316

ἐσμεν·esmenare;G1510

ὁhoThe [one]G3588

γινώσκωνginōskōnknowingG1097

τὸνton<the>G3588

θεὸνtheonGodG2316

ἀκούειakoueilistens toG191

ἡμῶν·hēmōnus;G3165

ὃςhosHe whoG3739

οὐκouknotG3756

ἔστινestinisG1510

ἐκekfromG1537

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouGodG2316

οὐκouknotG3756

ἀκούειakoueilistens toG191

ἡμῶν.hēmōnus.G3165

ἐκekByG1537

τούτουtoutouthisG3778

γινώσκομενginōskomenwe knowG1097

τὸtotheG3588

πνεῦμαpneumaSpiritG4151

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

ἀληθείαςalētheiasof truthG225

καὶkaiandG2532

τὸtotheG3588

πνεῦμαpneumaspiritG4151

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

πλάνης.¶planēsof falsehood.G4106

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 John 4:6

John 14:17
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
1 Corinthians 2:12-14
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
John 8:45-50
And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? …
John 18:37
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
1 Corinthians 14:37
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
1 John 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
John 16:13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

We are.
4; Mic 3:8; Ro 1:1; 1Co 2:12-14; 2Pe 3:2; Jude 1:17
he that knoweth.
8; Lu 10:22; Joh 8:19,45-50; 10:27; 13:20; 18:37; 20:21; 1Co 14:37
2Co 10:7; 2Th 1:8
Hereby.
1; Isa 8:20
the spirit of truth.
Joh 14:17; 15:26
and.
Isa 29:10; Ho 4:12; Mic 2:11; Ro 11:8; 2Th 2:9-11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 John 4:5
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1 John 4:6
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Read all of 1 John 4

1 John 4:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Nosotros somos de Dios: el que conoce á Dios, nos oye: el que no es de Dios, no nos oye. Por esto conocemos el espíritu de verdad y el espíritu de error.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Nous, nous sommes de Dieu; celui qui connaît Dieu nous écoute; celui qui n’est pas de Dieu ne nous écoute pas: à cela nous connaissons l’esprit de vérité et l’esprit d’erreur.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wir sind aus Gott; wer Gott kennt, hört uns; wer nicht aus Gott ist, hört uns nicht. Hieraus erkennen wir den Geist der Wahrheit und den Geist des Irrtums.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nos ex Deo sumus. Qui novit Deum, audit nos; qui non est ex Deo, non audit nos: in hoc cognoscimus Spiritum veritatis, et spiritum erroris.