1 John 4:6 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

⁶ We [who preach the true Gospel] represent God; the person who knows God listens to our message; the one who does not belong to God does not listen to us. This is how we can know [the difference between those speaking by] the Holy Spirit of truth and [those speaking by] the spirit of [Satan’s] error.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁶ We are [children] of God. Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us; and he who is not of God does not listen or pay attention to us. By this we know (recognize) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.

American Standard Version (1901)

⁶ 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.

Common English Bible

⁶ We are from God. The person who knows God listens to us. Whoever is not from God doesn’t listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁶ We are of God. Whoever knows God, listens to us. Whoever is not of God, does not listen to us. In this way, we know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

⁶ We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:6 Cross References

Luke 10:22

Everything has been handed over to me by my Father and no one knows the Son except the Father. And [no one knows] the Father except the Son and whatever person the Son wants to reveal Him to.”

John 10:16

I have other sheep [also] which are not [presently] in this corral; I must lead them, too. They will hear my voice and become one flock [i.e., with the others], having one shepherd. [Note: This probably refers to believing Gentiles becoming God’s people, along with the Jews].

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:3

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out [of the corral].

John 13:20

Truly, truly, I tell you, the person who welcomes whoever I send welcomes me; and the one who welcomes me, welcomes God, who sent me.”

John 14:17

He is the Holy Spirit of truth [i.e., who reveals truth], whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him or know Him. [But] you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be within you.

John 15:26

And you will give testimony about me [also], because you men have been with me from the beginning [of my ministry].”

John 16:13

However, when the Holy Spirit of truth comes, He will lead you [apostles] into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own authority, but will speak [only] what He hears [from the Father]. And He will tell you about the things that are to come.

John 18:37

So, Pilate said to Him, “Are you a king, then?” Jesus answered, “You are [correct in] calling me a ‘king.’ This was the [very] purpose for which I was born and came into the world, that I should testify about the truth. Every person who wants [to know and obey] the truth listens to me.”

John 20:21

Jesus said to them again, “May there be peace in your hearts. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

John 8:19

So, the Jewish authorities said to Him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered; “You people do not know me or my Father. If you [did] know me, you would know my Father also.”

John 8:23

Jesus replied, “You people are from below [i.e., from the earthly realm]; I am from above [i.e., from the heavenly realm]. You belong to this world; I do not belong to this world.

Romans 1:1

[This letter is from] Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, [who was] called to be an apostle, [and] set apart for [preaching] the Gospel of God.

Romans 11:8

as it has been written [Isa. 19:10], “God gave them a spirit of numbness [i.e., they developed a spiritual insensitivity to God and His word]. [He gave them] eyes to see with [but they would not look], and ears to hear with [but they did not listen]. And they still have this spirit.”

1 Corinthians 14:37

If any man thinks he is a prophet or has a spiritual gift, he should realize that the things I am writing to you are the Lord’s commandment.

2 Corinthians 10:7

You people are looking [merely] at the appearance of things [or, “You should look at what is obvious!” In either case, it suggests they were misjudging Paul’s ministry]. If any person is confident within himself that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: We are just as much Christ’s [servants] as he is.

2 Thessalonians 1:8

He will inflict punishment on those people who do not know God [as Savior], and on those who do not obey the Gospel message of our Lord Jesus.

1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Holy Spirit specifically says that in later times [Note: “Later times” in the New Testament usually refers to the period following the first coming of Christ and the establishment of the church], some people will fall away from the faith [i.e., the true teaching of Christianity]. They will pay attention to deceitful spirits [i.e., lying people] and the teaching of evil spirits.

2 Peter 3:2

to remember the words spoken to you in the past by the holy prophets, and what the Lord and Savior commanded you through your apostles.

1 John 4:1

Loved ones, do not believe [the message of] every spirit [i.e., every person claiming to be a teacher], but test the spirits [i.e., require proof that they and their message are genuine] to see whether they represent God [or not], because many false prophets have begun circulating throughout the world.

1 John 4:4

[But], you people are [followers] of God, little children [i.e., dear ones], and you have overcome them [i.e., these false teachers] because He who is in your lives [i.e., the Holy Spirit, See 3:24] is greater [i.e., more powerful] than he who is in [i.e., dominates] the world [i.e., Satan. See II Cor. 4:4].

1 John 4:8

The person who does not love [others] does not know God [as Savior], for [the very nature of] God is love.

1 John 5:19

We [also] know that we are [children] of God and that the people of the whole world lie under [the control of] the evil one [i.e., Satan].

Jude 1:17

But you dearly loved ones, you should remember the message that was previously told to you by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,