Chapter XV: Section VII: Greek. Latin

Αγαπητοι, μη παντι Carissimi, nolite omni
πνευματι πιστευετε, spiritui credere, sed
αλλα δοκιμαζετε τα probate spiritus si ex
πνευματα, ει εκ του Deo sint, quoniam multi
Θεου εστιν· ὁτι πολλοι pseudoprophetæ exierunt
ψευδοπροφηται εξεληλυθασιν in mundum. In
εις τον κοσμον. hoc cognoscitur spiritus
εν τουτω γινωσκετε το Dei. Omnis spiritus
Πνευμα του Θεου· παν qui confitetur Iesum
πνευμα ὁ ὁμολογει Christum in carne
Ιησουν Χριστον εν venisse, ex Deo est:
σαρκι εληλυθοτα, εκ et omnis spiritus qui
του Θεου εστι. και solvit Iesum Christum
παν πνευμα ὁ μη ὁμολογειτον ex Deo non est; et his
Ιησουν Χριστον est Antichristus quod
εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα, εκ audistis quoniam venit
του Θεου ουκ εστι· και et nunc iam in mundo
τουτο εστι το του est. Vos ex Deo estis,
αντιχριστου, ὁ ακηκοατε filioli, et vicistis eum,
ὁτι ερχεται, και νυν εν quoniam maior est qui
τω κοσμω εστιν ηδη. in vobis est quam qui
Ὑμεις εκ του Θεου εστε, in mundo. Ipsi de
τεκνια, και νενικηκατε mundo sunt: ideo de
αυτους· ὁτι μειζων εστιν mundo locuntur, et
ὁ εν ὑμιν ἡ ὁ εν τω mundus eos audit. Nos
κοσμω. Αυτοι εκ του ex Deo sumus: qui
κοσμου εισι· δια τουτο novit Deum audit nos;
εκ του κοσμου λαλουσι, qui non est ex Deo,
και ὁ κοσμος αυτων non audit nos. In hoc
ακουει. ἡμεις εκ του cognoscimus spiritum
Θεου εσμεν· ὁ γινωσκων veritatis et spiritum
τον Θεον, ακουει ἡμων· erroris.
ὁς ουκ εστιν εκ του Θεου,
ουκ ακουει ἡμων. Εκ
τουτου γινωσκομεν το
πνευμα της αληθειας
και το πνευμα της
πλανης.

AUTHORISED VERSION. REVISED VERSION.

Beloved, believe not Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the every spirit, but prove
spirits whether they the spirits whether
are of God: because they are of God; because
many false prophets many false prophets
are gone out into the are gone out into
world. Hereby know the world. Hereby
ye the Spirit of God: know ye the Spirit
Every spirit that confesseth of God: every spirit
that Jesus which confesseth that
Christ is come in the Jesus Christ is come
flesh is of God: and in the flesh is of God:
every spirit that confesseth and every spirit which
not that Jesus confesseth not Jesus is
Christ is come in the not of God: and this
flesh is not of God: and is the _spirit_ of the
this is that _spirit_ of antichrist, whereof ye have
antichrist, whereof ye heard that it cometh;
have heard that it and now it is in the
should come; and even world already. Ye are
now already is it in the of God, _my_ little
world. Ye are of God, children, and have overcome
little children, and have them: because
overcome them: because greater is He that is
greater is He that in you, than he that is
is in you, than he that in the world. They
is in the world. They are of the world, therefore
are of the world: therefore speak they _as_ of
speak they of the the world, and the
world, and the world world heareth them.
heareth them. We are We are of God: he that
of God: he that knoweth knoweth God heareth
God heareth us: us: he who is not of
he that is not of God God heareth us not.
heareth not us. Hereby By this we know the
know we the spirit spirit of truth and the
of truth, and the spirit spirit of error.
of error.

ANOTHER VERSION.

Beloved, believe not
any spirit, but try the
spirits whether they
are of God: because
many false prophets
are gone out into the
world. Hereby know
ye the Spirit of God:
every spirit that confesseth
Jesus Christ
come in the flesh is of
God: and every spirit
which confesseth not
Jesus is not of God:
and this is that _power_
of the antichrist whereof
ye have heard that it
cometh, and even now
it is in the world already.
Ye are of God,
children, and have conquered
them: because
greater is He that is
in you, than he that is
in the world. They
are of the world, therefore
of the world is
their manner of speech,
and the world heareth
them. We are of God;
he that knoweth God
heareth us, he who is
not of God heareth not
us. From this we know
the spirit of The Truth,
and the spirit of the
error.

NOTES.

Ch. iv. 1, 7.

Ver. 1. _Believe not any spirit_] μη παντι πνευματι πιστευετε. The different constructions of πιστευειν in St. John must be carefully noted. (_a_) With _dative_ as here--"believe not such an one;" take him not upon trust, at his own word; credit him not with veracity. So in the Gospel, our Lord continually complains that the Jews did not even believe Him on His word--strong and clear as that word was with all the freshness of Heaven, and all the transparency of truth. John v. 38, 46, viii. 45, 46, x. 37.

(_b_) πιστευειν εις = to make an act of faith in, to repose in as divine. John iii. 36, iv. 39, vi. 35, xi. 25; 1 John v. 10.

(_c_) With an _accusative_ = to be persuaded of the thing--to believe it with an implied conviction of permanence in the persuasion--as in the beautiful verse (iv. 16)--"we are fully persuaded of the love of God," we make it the creed of our heart. πεπιστευκαμεν την αγαπην.