Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
All Commentaries on 1 John 4:1 Go To 1 John 4
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Try the spirits; i.e. every doctrine that you hear: for now are many false teachers, false doctors, and false prophets. (Witham)
Try viz. by examining whether their teaching be agreeable to the rule of the true Christian faith and the doctrine of the Church. For, as he says, (ver. 6) "He that knoweth God, heareth us: (the pastors of the Church) by this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. "(Challoner)
The Church only, not every private man, hath to prove and discern spirits.
