1 John 4:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Believe not

Try

General references

1 Corinthians 14:32

Bible References

Believe not

“

If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,

The naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.

The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule on their own authority;
And My people love it so!
But what will you do at the end of it?

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to

the dreams which they dream.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

Try

“And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.

But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

General references

You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’

Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;