Discerning False Prophets

[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. [2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: [3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. [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. [5] They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. [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.

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

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

• Wisdom

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.

• Teachers
• Wolf

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

• War

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.

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?